CHINA SILVER DOLLAR 1914:THE YUAN SHIH KAI DOLLAR.


The Yuan Shih Kai Dollar.(NGC:AU58).


China Silver Dollar.1914.Yuan Shih Kai Dollar.
(Dickson Niew Collection)
Christmas eve, in 1914, the Yuan Shih Kai silver dollar was officially issued for the first time. Since then it has made enormous strides and is fulfilling its mission to replace not only the Mexican and other foreign dollars, but also the heterogeneous collection of Chinese dragon silver dollars. After an existence of ten years the Yuan Shih Kai silver dollar has penetrated to even the most out-of-the-way place of China's outlying provinces, and bids fair to remain in popular favor throughout the China.
However, the coining of the new Yuan Shih Kai silver dollar was closely connected to the withdrawal and re-minting of the existing 280 million dragon dollars, the fineness of which was considerably below the new standard. In order to facilitate the introduction of the new coin the China Government arranged that the Bank of China, the Bank of Communications and the official provincial banks should exchange, free of charge, the old dragon dollars against the new Yuan Shih Kai silver dollars. During the period from 1914 to July 1917, about 30 million Mexican dollars were exported from China, and in addition 19 millions were melted by the Mints for re-coinage. Both these measures continued in an extended form during the following five years, thus making room for the new Yuan Shih Kai silver dollar which, by 1919, had succeeded in firmly establishing itself. The dies were distributed by the Tientsin(Central) Mint to the various provinces. In the course of time the dies were worn and had to be either retouched or re-engraved. In this way it happened that many varieties of the Yuan Shih Kai silver dollars were found. It can be stated that, until the end of 1917, altogether there were 184,946,487 pieces of Yuan Shih Kai silver dollars have been struck by the Mints in China.
Obverse.

Reverse.

10 comments:

  1. Hi Dickson,
    Some westerners used to call it the Fat Man coin.
    Seems like getting an AU58 is not so easy nowadays.
    Congratulations, Dickson :)

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  2. Whycollect,
    Grading houses in US are very stringent in grading China Silver coins.They charge higher fees and apply longer turn around time compare to other coinage.
    They received more than hundred thousands of China coins monthly.Many are trying their luck with high grade counterfeits.

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  3. Hi Dickson,
    Yes, you are right.
    Suppose many trying their luck to get their silver pandas graded MS-70, too.
    Ponder over it.
    Who makes the most?
    Coins owners or the grading companies?
    Haha, whatever, guess the best way is go with the flow, haha :)

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  4. Hi Dickson,
    Saw one like yours here in MS63 starting @ euro716
    Ref : http://www.eurseree.com/
    Congratulations, Dickson :)

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  5. Thank you for your info, whycollect.
    But a MS63 vs a AU58 is a vast different in prices.

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  6. Hi Dickson,
    Phew, everything's skyrocketing.
    Hehe, yours comparatively not bad either, even taking into consideration the grade differences.
    Wah, the red monkey now starts with a reserve price of THB30K, phiit, haha.
    Thanks a lot for all your guidance, Dickson ;)

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  7. Hello
    I HAVE POSTED MANY CHINA REPUBLICAN COINS 1911-1949
    https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.207439455995359.51216.100001879197465&type=3


    https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.108325112573461.13612.100001879197465&type=3

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  8. Hi,i have read your whole blog,its very amazing,i am impressed.i have bookmark your site for revisit.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My Mother has found barried 1914 Chinese fat man coins in Mexico. why will these even be in Mexico. Cam Amy body hrlp?

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  10. Mexico City have a huge Chinatown ! Since 1760s , as usual there are still secret escape passage ways from each Chinese business to some exterior area. Finding fat man coins were no surprises !

    ReplyDelete