China: Chihli. Kuang-hsü Tael Year 33 (1907) MS62 PCGS,...
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Chihli. Kuang-hsü Tael Year 33 (1907) MS62 PCGS, Pei Yang Arsenal mint, KM-Y74.1, L&M-438, Kann-938a, Chang Foundation-52, WS-0638. Small dots in straight line on fiery pearl variety. An icon of not only provincial coinage, but for the entire Chinese series, where the sight of any Tael issue excites all collectors. While those associated with Hupeh are generally synonymous with the denomination, specimens of this manufacture and type remain among the most elusive Crowns of China, with this example marking just the third specimen we've handled in as many decades. The rarest emission of the Chihli series, and only the second type struck by newly reestablished Tientsin mint after its destruction during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. An appealing specimen with an as-struck level of detail that projects boldly towards the viewer, while low-lying recesses shimmer with an iridescent aura at the flick of the wrist. A relic of China's numerous attempts at monetary reform throughout the late Qing dynasty and assuredly worth of considerable attention by advanced collectors. During the waning years of the Qing dynasty, numerous efforts were made to reform monetary policy and coinage at both the provincial and national levels. These reforms were based on the traditional Tael system rather than the Mace-Candareen and decimalized Dollar system favored in the West. Two major issues shaped these attempts: an increasing reliance on foreign coinage, which circulated at a premium, and the growing diversification of provincial coinage away from a unified national standard. These reform efforts were persistent, from the introduction of the Shanghai silver cakes in the 1850s through the fleeting Hong Kong Taels of 1867, to the development of the Kuping, Chihli, and Hupeh Taels in the early twentieth century. However, no clear consensus emerged among the provinces on which system to adopt. Just one month before the death of the Kuang-hsü Emperor, a decree mandated the use of the tael ...
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