Premium Recommendation - Sichuan Copper Coin

*本次藏品：四川铜币*

典藏尺寸：重：21.2g直径：39.5mm

这枚铜币的正面设计极具政治象征意义。中央珠圈内书 “四川铜币” 四字，字体为端庄的楷书，笔力遒劲，体现了地方政权的权威性。四字中央镌刻一朵芙蓉花，这一元素暗藏深意 —— 芙蓉花是成都的市花，俗称 “蓉城” 即源于此，以此图案点明铸币地的地域属性，强化了地方政权的身份认同。

珠圈外的文字布局同样考究：上缘镌 “军政府造”，直接表明铸币主体的政治属性，彰显了四川军政府的铸币自主权；下缘标明面值 “当制钱壹百文”，明确其货币职能；左右两侧分列四瓣花星，既起到装饰作用，也暗含 “四季平安” 的吉祥寓意，反映了民间文化对货币设计的影响。

从工艺细节看，正面的珠圈采用 “连珠纹”（由一系列小圆点组成的圆圈），这种装饰手法在清代货币中已较为常见，体现了铸币技术的传承。文字与图案的冲压深度均匀，虽因铸造批次不同存在细微差异，但整体保持了较高的工艺水准，尤其是在军阀割据的动荡背景下，能达到如此成色实属不易。

背面设计是这枚铜币最具特色的部分，集中体现了辛亥革命的政治理念。中央为篆书 “汉” 字，字体大气磅礴，笔画圆润流畅。“汉” 字的选择极具深意：它既呼应了 “大汉四川军政府” 的名称，延续了反清革命中 “驱除鞑虏，恢复中华” 的口号，也象征着对汉族正统的文化认同，是民国初年 “排满兴汉” 思潮的直接体现。

“汉” 字下方的底纹采用直线纹，细密的线条暗合 “经纬天下” 的寓意，寄托了对国家秩序重建的期盼。“汉” 字外圈环绕着十八个小圆圈，代表当时中国的十八个行省，寓意 “十八省人民团结起来共同为革命奋斗”，这种设计与辛亥革命时期的 “十八星旗” 一脉相承，是革命精神在货币上的视觉化表达。

背面上方的纪年 “中华民国二年”，则明确了铸币的时间节点。值得注意的是，虽然标注了民国纪年，但此时的四川实际上处于地方军阀的控制之下，这一矛盾细节恰恰反映了民国初年中央与地方权力博弈的历史现实。

The obverse design of this copper coin carries profound political symbolism. At its center, within a beaded circle, are the four characters "四川铜币" (Sichuan Copper Coin), rendered in a dignified regular script with bold, forceful brushstrokes—embodying the authority of the local regime. Engraved at the very heart of these four characters is a hibiscus flower, an element rich in hidden meaning: as the city flower of Chengdu (historically known as "Rongcheng," literally "Hibiscus City," a name derived from this flower), this motif clarifies the coin’s place of minting and reinforces the local regime’s sense of identity.

The text layout outside the beaded circle is equally elaborate: the upper edge bears the inscription "军政府造" (Minted by the Military Government), directly indicating the political nature of the minting authority and highlighting the Sichuan Military Government’s autonomy in coinage; the lower edge specifies the denomination "当制钱壹百文" (Equivalent to 100 Cash Coins), defining its monetary function; on either side are four-petaled floral stars, which not only serve a decorative purpose but also implicitly convey the auspicious wish of "peace throughout the four seasons"—reflecting the influence of folk culture on currency design.

In terms of craftsmanship details, the beaded circle on the obverse adopts a "beaded pattern" (a circle composed of a series of small dots), a decorative technique already common in Qing Dynasty currency, demonstrating the inheritance of minting technology. The stamping depth of the text and patterns is uniform; while minor variations exist across different minting batches, the overall craftsmanship maintains a high standard. Achieving such quality was particularly remarkable against the backdrop of turmoil during the warlord division era.

The reverse design is the most distinctive feature of this coin, centrally embodying the political ideals of the 1911 Revolution. At its core is the character "汉" (Han) in seal script—magnificent in form, with smooth, rounded strokes. The choice of the "汉" character is deeply significant: it echoes the name of the "Great Han Sichuan Military Government," carries forward the revolutionary slogan of "expelling the Manchus and restoring China" (a rallying cry of the anti-Qing revolution), and symbolizes cultural identification with the Han ethnic orthodoxy. It is a direct reflection of the early Republic of China ideology of "opposing Manchu rule and reviving Han identity."

The background pattern beneath the "汉" character consists of fine straight lines, which implicitly align with the meaning of "governing the nation with order" (literally "regulating the world through latitude and longitude"), embodying aspirations for the reconstruction of national order. Surrounding the outer circle of the "汉" character are eighteen small circles, representing the eighteen provinces of China at that time—symbolizing "the people of the eighteen provinces uniting to strive for the revolution." This design shares the same origin as the "Eighteen-Star Flag" of the 1911 Revolution, serving as a visual expression of revolutionary spirit on currency.

The year "中华民国二年" (the 2nd Year of the Republic of China, corresponding to 1913) inscribed on the upper part of the reverse clearly marks the coin’s minting timeframe. Notably, despite bearing the Republican era designation, Sichuan was actually under the control of local warlords at this time. This contradictory detail precisely reflects the historical reality of the power struggle between the central government and local authorities in the early Republic of China.

*本次藏品：四川铜币*

典藏尺寸：重：21.2g直径：39.5mm

1911 年，四川爆发震惊全国的 “保路运动”，成为辛亥革命的导火索之一。同年 11 月，四川宣布独立，成立 “大汉四川军政府”，结束了清王朝在四川的统治。新生的军政府面临着严峻的财政危机：一方面，战争导致军费开支剧增；另一方面，原有的货币体系因政权更迭而崩溃。为了稳定经济秩序、解决军费难题，军政府接管了位于成都的原清廷造币厂，于 1912 年开始铸造带有新政权标识的 “汉” 字铜币。

民国二年（1913 年），四川军阀割据的局面进一步加剧，地方财政与中央政府的矛盾日益凸显。为了应对庞大的军费需求，军政府首次推出 “当制钱壹百文” 的大面值铜币。这一举措既是对市场货币需求的回应（当时因铜料短缺出现 “钱荒”），也反映了地方政权在货币发行上的自主诉求。据四川省档案馆史料记载，民国二年至三年间，成都造币厂月均铸币量超过千万枚，虽暂时缓解了财政压力，却也导致四川地区货币严重贬值，为后续的经济混乱埋下伏笔。

这枚铜币的铸造工艺在动荡的时局中呈现出 “粗犷与精整并存” 的特点。其材质以黄铜为主，部分罕见版别含红铜或紫铜（纯度≥96%）。由于战时金属供应不稳定，实际铸造中常掺入铅、锌以降低成本，导致部分币种的含铜量仅相当于五十文制钱的价值。这种 “减重铸币” 的行为，既是军政府应对财政危机的无奈之举，也反映了民国初年地方货币发行的混乱状态。

在流通方面，这枚铜币主要通行于四川地区，成为军阀混战时期市场交易的主要媒介之一。它的流通时间从 1913 年持续至 1935 年国民政府推行法币政策后才逐渐退出历史舞台。在这二十余年里，它见证了护国战争、川滇黔军阀混战等一系列历史事件，币面上的磨损与包浆，都是那段动荡岁月的物质印记。

这枚铜币是民国初年四川地方政权 “货币自治” 的直接体现。在中央政府试图统一货币制度的背景下，四川军政府通过铸造带有自身标识的铜币，实质上宣示了对地方财政权的掌控。这种 “货币自治” 既是军阀割据的产物，也反映了近代中国中央与地方关系的复杂变迁。

从铸币权的争夺中，可窥见当时四川政局的动荡。民国二年前后，四川军阀胡景伊、刘存厚等势力此消彼长，铸币厂的实际控制权也在不同军阀之间流转。币面上看似统一的 “军政府造” 字样，背后实则是不同军阀势力的博弈，这种政治权力的更迭也间接反映在铜币的版别差异中 —— 不同军阀控制时期铸造的铜币，在文字风格、图案细节上往往存在微妙差别。

“当制钱壹百文” 的高面值设计，本身就是经济危机的产物。清末以来，铜料短缺导致 “钱荒” 愈演愈烈，为了缓解流通压力，军政府不得不通过增大面额来维持货币职能。但这种做法的后遗症极为严重：大规模铸币导致货币发行量远超市场需求，直接引发了四川地区的通货膨胀。

据史料记载，民国二年至三年间，成都造币厂的月均铸币量超过千万枚，而同期四川的经济规模根本无法消化如此巨量的货币。这直接导致铜币的实际购买力大幅下降，民间甚至出现 “以铜币论斤交易” 的荒诞现象。这种经济混乱状态，既是军阀混战对地方经济的破坏，也是近代中国货币制度转型阵痛的微观体现。

这枚铜币的设计是地域文化与革命思潮的巧妙融合。芙蓉花图案的运用，将地方文化符号嵌入货币设计，增强了民众对货币的认同感；“汉” 字与十八星纹的组合，则是革命意识形态的视觉化表达，使货币成为传播革命理念的载体。这种设计策略既保证了货币的流通功能，又实现了政治宣传与文化认同的双重目标。

从艺术风格上看，铜币的文字与图案体现了传统与近代的过渡。篆书 “汉” 字是中国传统书法艺术的体现，而十八星纹则带有明显的近代西方符号特征；芙蓉花的古典意象与直线纹的现代感形成对比，这种风格的碰撞恰恰反映了民国初年中国社会的文化转型 —— 在传统的根基上，艰难地吸收近代文明的养分。

In 1911, the 震惊全国的 (nation-shaking) "Railway Protection Movement" erupted in Sichuan, becoming one of the catalysts for the 1911 Revolution. In November of the same year, Sichuan declared independence and established the "Great Han Sichuan Military Government," ending the Qing Dynasty’s rule over the region. The fledgling military government faced a severe fiscal crisis: on one hand, warfare led to a sharp surge in military expenditures; on the other hand, the existing monetary system collapsed amid the regime change. To stabilize economic order and resolve the military funding dilemma, the military government took over the former Qing Dynasty mint in Chengdu and began minting copper coins inscribed with the character "汉" (Han)—a symbol of the new regime—in 1912.

In the 2nd Year of the Republic of China (1913), the situation of warlord fragmentation in Sichuan intensified further, and conflicts between local finances and the central government became increasingly prominent. To meet the enormous demand for military funds, the military government launched the large-denomination copper coin "当制钱壹百文" (Equivalent to 100 Cash Coins) for the first time. This measure was not only a response to the market’s currency needs (a "cash shortage" had emerged due to copper scarcity at the time) but also reflected the local regime’s aspiration for autonomy in currency issuance. According to historical records from the Sichuan Provincial Archives, between the 2nd and 3rd Years of the Republic of China, the monthly average coinage output of the Chengdu Mint exceeded 10 million pieces. While this temporarily alleviated fiscal pressure, it also led to severe currency depreciation in Sichuan, laying the groundwork for subsequent economic chaos.

Amid the turbulent times, the minting craftsmanship of this copper coin exhibited the characteristic of "coexisting crudeness and refinement." Its main material was brass, though some rare versions contained red copper or purple copper (with a purity of ≥96%). Due to unstable metal supply during the war, lead and zinc were often added to reduce costs in actual minting, resulting in some coin varieties having a copper content equivalent to only the value of 50 cash coins. This practice of "reducing weight in coinage" was both a desperate measure by the military government to tackle the fiscal crisis and a reflection of the chaotic state of local currency issuance in the early Republic of China.

In terms of circulation, this copper coin was mainly used in the Sichuan region and became one of the primary media for market transactions during the warlord melee period. Its circulation lasted from 1913 until it gradually faded out of history after the Nationalist Government implemented the Legal Tender Policy in 1935. Over these more than two decades, it witnessed a series of historical events, such as the National Protection War and the warlord conflicts among Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou. The wear and patina on the coin’s surface are all material traces of that turbulent era.

This copper coin is a direct manifestation of the "monetary autonomy" of the local regime in Sichuan in the early Republic of China. Against the backdrop of the central government’s attempts to unify the monetary system, the Sichuan Military Government, by minting copper coins bearing its own symbols, essentially declared its control over local fiscal power. This "monetary autonomy" was not only a product of warlord fragmentation but also a reflection of the complex changes in the central-local relationship in modern China.

From the struggle for the right to mint coins, one can glimpse the turbulence of Sichuan’s political situation at that time. Around the 2nd Year of the Republic of China, the forces of Sichuan warlords such as Hu Jingyi and Liu Cunhou rose and fell, and the actual control of the mint also changed hands among different warlords. Behind the seemingly unified inscription "军政府造" (Minted by the Military Government) on the coins lay the rivalry between various warlord forces. Such changes in political power were also indirectly reflected in the variations of the copper coins—coins minted during the tenure of different warlords often showed subtle differences in calligraphy style and pattern details.

The high-denomination design of "Equivalent to 100 Cash Coins" was itself a product of the economic crisis. Since the late Qing Dynasty, copper scarcity had exacerbated the "cash shortage"; to ease circulation pressure, the military government had no choice but to increase the denomination to maintain the currency’s function. However, this approach had severe after-effects: large-scale coinage led to a money supply far exceeding market demand, directly triggering inflation in Sichuan.

According to historical records, between the 2nd and 3rd Years of the Republic of China, the monthly average coinage output of the Chengdu Mint exceeded 10 million pieces, yet Sichuan’s economic scale at that time was completely unable to absorb such a huge amount of currency. This directly caused a sharp decline in the actual purchasing power of the copper coins, and an absurd phenomenon even emerged among the people: "trading goods by the catty of copper coins." This state of economic chaos was not only the result of warlord wars damaging the local economy but also a microcosmic reflection of the growing pains in China’s monetary system transformation in modern times.

The design of this copper coin is an ingenious integration of regional culture and revolutionary thought. The use of the hibiscus flower pattern embedded local cultural symbols into the currency design, enhancing the people’s recognition of the currency; the combination of the "汉" (Han) character and the eighteen-star pattern, on the other hand, was a visual expression of revolutionary ideology, turning the currency into a carrier for spreading revolutionary ideas. This design strategy not only ensured the currency’s circulation function but also achieved the dual goals of political propaganda and cultural identity.

From an artistic perspective, the calligraphy and patterns on the copper coin embody the transition between tradition and modernity. The seal-script "汉" (Han) character reflects China’s traditional calligraphic art, while the eighteen-star pattern bears distinct characteristics of modern Western symbols; the classical imagery of the hibiscus flower contrasts with the modern feel of the straight-line patterns. This collision of styles precisely reflects the cultural transformation of Chinese society in the early Republic of China—painstakingly absorbing the nutrients of modern civilization while rooted in tradition.

*本次藏品：四川铜币*

典藏尺寸：重：21.2g直径：39.5mm

以上藏品相关信息请与：四川尚亿拍卖有限公司联系。 

For information about the above collections, please contact: Sichuan Jun Zailai Auction Group Co.