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20 Fen - Guangxu Pattern, brass
| Issuer | Szechuan Province |
|---|---|
| Year | 1897 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 20 Fen (0.20) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse displays a finely detailed Chinese imperial dragon in high relief at centre, its sinuous body coiling around a flaming pearl, rendered in the style characteristic of Charles Barber's late 19th-century Chinese provincial pattern designs. The dragon faces front with claws extended and tail curling to the right, surrounded by stylised clouds and flames filling the field. A circular Latin legend in raised letters borders the design, reading 'SZECHUEN PROVINCE' across the top and '1 MACE AND 4.4 CANDAREENS' across the bottom, separated by small decorative stars at each side. The overall design reflects the mechanically precise engraving style of the Philadelphia Mint. |
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| Edge | Reeded. |
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| Additional information |
Szechuan's pattern coinage of 1897 emerged from the broader scramble among Chinese provincial mints to establish machine-struck currency, a push driven partly by foreign pressure to rationalize the monetary system and partly by each province's desire to control its own revenue stream. Patterns in brass from this period were almost certainly struck as compositional or die trials rather than for any intended circulation — brass being a practical substitute for testing before committing to silver or copper production runs.
The Kann reference places this among a cluster of Szechuan trials that never advanced to approved issue, the province ultimately producing its standard copper and silver coinage under different specifications.