Premium Recommendation -A Set of 'Sun Xiaotou' (Sun Yat-sen Portrait) Silver Coins

*本次藏品：孙小头一组 *

典藏尺寸：重：26.6g直径：39.3mm/重：26.7g直径：39.2mm

孙小头正面以孙中山侧面肖像为核心视觉元素，这一肖像选取了孙中山先生极具辨识度的侧面形象，面部轮廓清晰，神态庄重肃穆，既体现了对革命领袖的致敬，也强化了民众对新生共和政权的认同。肖像外环铸 “中华民国” 四字，字体端庄大气，笔画刚劲有力，其中 “民” 字的书写颇具时代特色，“目” 部方正，彰显出民国初年的书法审美与文化自信。肖像下方环铸 “开国纪念币” 字样，与上方 “中华民国” 形成呼应，明确了这枚银币的纪念属性与历史定位。币面左右两侧装饰有梅花与卷草纹，梅花在中国传统文化中象征高洁坚韧，卷草纹则带有吉祥绵延的寓意，二者的组合既增添了币面的装饰性，也隐含着对民国国运绵长、品格高洁的期许。这些花饰细节丰富，花瓣层次分明，卷草线条流畅，是民国初年机制币雕刻工艺的生动体现。

背面设计以 “五谷丰登” 为主题，中央铸 “壹圆” 字样，字体采用传统篆书，结构严谨，笔画圆润，在西式币面布局中融入了中国传统文字艺术，体现了中西文化的融合。“壹圆” 两侧环绕着稻、麦、豆、稷、麻等五谷图案，稻穗颗粒饱满，麦芒清晰可辨，叶片脉络细致，生动地刻画了农作物的形态，寄托了民国政府 “劝农务本”、实现民生富足的政治理想，也反映了中国传统农耕文明在近代货币设计中的延续。

五谷图案外环铸英文 “MEMENTO（纪念）”“BIRTH OF REPUBLIC OF CHINA（中华民国诞生）”，这组英文标识明确了银币的纪念意义与发行背景，是民国初年中国货币融入国际货币体系的直接体现。币面上方左右两侧各有一颗六角星，星角尖锐，立体感强，既起到了装饰作用，也在一定程度上具有防伪功能。

The obverse of the "Sun Xiaotou" silver coin features Dr. Sun Yat-sen's profile portrait as the core visual element. This portrait adopts Dr. Sun Yat-sen's highly recognizable side profile, with clear facial contours and a solemn demeanor. It not only expresses respect for the revolutionary leader but also strengthens the people's recognition of the newly established republican government. Around the outer edge of the portrait, the four Chinese characters "中华民国" (Republic of China) are cast. The font is dignified and grand, with bold and forceful strokes. Among them, the character "民" (people) has distinct characteristics of the era—its "目" (eye)-shaped component is square and upright, reflecting the calligraphic aesthetics and cultural confidence of the early Republic of China.

Below the portrait, the words "开国纪念币" (Founding Commemorative Coin) are cast in a circular pattern, echoing the "中华民国" above. This clearly defines the commemorative nature and historical positioning of the silver coin. On the left and right sides of the coin surface, there are plum blossom and scroll grass patterns as decorations. In traditional Chinese culture, plum blossoms symbolize nobility and resilience, while scroll grass patterns carry the meaning of auspiciousness and continuity. The combination of the two not only enhances the decorative appeal of the coin surface but also implies the expectation for the Republic of China to enjoy long-term stability and uphold noble virtues. These decorative details are rich: the plum blossom petals have distinct layers, and the scroll grass lines are smooth—vividly demonstrating the engraving craftsmanship of machine-made coins in the early Republic of China.

The reverse design centers on the theme of "五谷丰登" (bumper harvest of the five grains). In the middle, the words "壹圆" (One Yuan) are cast in traditional seal script, with a rigorous structure and mellow strokes. Integrating traditional Chinese calligraphic art into the Western-style coin layout, it embodies the integration of Chinese and Western cultures. Surrounding the two sides of "壹圆" are patterns of the five grains—rice, wheat, soybeans, millet, and hemp. The rice ears are plump, the wheat awns are clearly distinguishable, and the leaf veins are delicate. These patterns vividly depict the shape of crops, embodying the Republican government's political ideal of "encouraging agriculture as the foundation" and achieving people's prosperity. They also reflect the continuation of traditional Chinese agricultural civilization in modern currency design.

Around the outer edge of the five-grain patterns, the English inscriptions "MEMENTO" and "BIRTH OF REPUBLIC OF CHINA" are cast. This set of English marks clearly defines the commemorative significance and issuance background of the silver coin, and directly reflects the integration of China's currency into the international monetary system in the early Republic of China. On the upper left and right sides of the coin surface, there is a six-pointed star each. The star points are sharp and have a strong three-dimensional effect, which not only serves a decorative purpose but also has an anti-counterfeiting function to a certain extent.

*本次藏品：孙小头一组 *

典藏尺寸：重：26.6g直径：39.3mm/重：26.7g直径：39.2mm

1911 年辛亥革命爆发，推翻了清王朝的统治，1912 年中华民国临时政府在南京成立，孙中山先生就任临时大总统。为纪念中华民国的诞生，彰显新政权的货币主权，临时政府财政部决定铸造 “中华民国开国纪念币”，这便是 “孙小头” 的历史由来。

民国初年的货币体系处于新旧交替的关键阶段。清代遗留的 “龙洋”（如光绪元宝、宣统元宝）仍在市场流通，而新生的民国亟需一套能体现共和体制的货币符号。开国纪念币的铸造，不仅是经济层面的货币革新，更是政治层面的主权宣示。据《财政部档案》记载，1912 年 3 月，财政部通令各省造币厂，以南京造币总厂的模具为标准，开铸开国纪念币壹圆银币，要求 “面镌大总统肖像，背铸五谷模型，取丰岁足民之义，垂劝农务本之规”。

这一决策背后，蕴含着深刻的时代诉求：一方面，孙中山肖像的使用，强化了民众对共和领袖与新生政权的认同；另一方面，背面五谷（稻、麦、豆、稷、麻）图案的设计，既呼应了中国传统农耕文明的根基，也寄托了民国政府 “劝农务本”、实现民生富足的政治理想。从货币史的视角看，孙小头的诞生，标志着中国机制币从 “皇权符号”（龙纹）向 “共和符号”（领袖肖像、民生图案）的历史性转变。

孙小头的铸造工艺体现了民国初年机制币的技术高度，其流程涵盖模具制作、银料熔炼、压印成型等多个环节，每一步都彰显着近代工业文明对传统铸币工艺的革新。

模具制作是铸造的核心环节。南京造币总厂的模具由意大利籍雕刻师乔治（Giorgi）主持设计与制作，采用当时先进的钢模雕刻技术，将孙中山肖像、五谷图案等细节精准呈现。模具分为阳模（冲头）和阴模（模圈），通过机械冲压使银坯形成正反图案。从图中银币的浮雕效果看，肖像的层次、文字的笔画、花饰的纹理都清晰可辨，说明模具的精度极高，冲压压力充足。

银料处理遵循严格的标准。铸造所用银料需达到 “九成银”（含银 90%）以上，银料经高温熔融后，倒入钢模压制成银坯，再经滚边、清洗等工序。图中银币的银色柔和，包浆自然，是银料纯度与后期氧化共同作用的结果，这种包浆状态也是判断其真伪与年代的重要依据。

压印成型采用机械化冲压设备。南京造币总厂从美国引进的新式压币机，能够提供足够的压力，使银坯在模具中充分填充，形成清晰的图案与锐利的边齿。图中两枚银币的边齿均匀规整，齿型深峻，是机械冲压工艺的典型特征，与清代银锭的手工铸造形成鲜明对比。

历史意义是其核心价值所在。作为民国政权的 “开国第一币”，孙小头见证了中国从帝制向共和的历史转折，是辛亥革命历史记忆的物化载体。每一枚孙小头都在诉说着民国肇建的艰辛与荣光，这种历史附加值使其超越了普通货币的属性，成为一件历史文物。

图中的两枚孙小头，虽只是民国开国纪念币中的普通个体，却凝聚着一个时代的政治理想与工艺智慧。它们以孙中山的肖像为视觉核心，以五谷丰登的图案为精神寄托，通过精湛的机制币工艺，将民国肇建的历史瞬间凝固在银质的载体上。

从历史背景看，它们是辛亥革命后货币主权重建的产物；从版别特征看，它们是民国初年造币工艺演变与地域差异的微观体现；从收藏价值看，它们是历史意义、艺术价值与稀缺性的集合体。在当下的收藏语境中，这两枚孙小头已超越了货币的实用功能，成为解读民国初期社会变迁、工艺水准与收藏文化的重要窗口。

The 1911 Xinhai Revolution broke out, overthrowing the rule of the Qing Dynasty. In 1912, the Provisional Government of the Republic of China was established in Nanjing, and Dr. Sun Yat-sen took office as the Provisional President. To commemorate the founding of the Republic of China and demonstrate the monetary sovereignty of the new regime, the Ministry of Finance of the Provisional Government decided to mint the "Republic of China Founding Commemorative Coin"—this is the historical origin of the "Sun Xiaotou" (Sun Yat-sen portrait silver coin).

The monetary system in the early years of the Republic of China was in a critical stage of transition between the old and the new. The "Long Yang" (silver coins with dragon patterns) inherited from the Qing Dynasty, such as the "Guangxu Yuanbao" and "Xuantong Yuanbao", were still in circulation in the market. However, the newly founded Republic of China urgently needed a set of monetary symbols that could reflect the republican system. The minting of the Founding Commemorative Coin was not only a monetary reform at the economic level but also a declaration of sovereignty at the political level. According to records in the Ministry of Finance Archives, in March 1912, the Ministry of Finance issued a circular to mints in all provinces, requiring them to take the molds of the Nanjing General Mint as the standard to mint the one-yuan silver Founding Commemorative Coins. The requirement stated: "The obverse shall be engraved with the portrait of the President, and the reverse with the pattern of the five grains, to convey the meaning of a bumper harvest and prosperous people, and to uphold the principle of encouraging agriculture as the foundation."

Behind this decision lay profound demands of the era. On the one hand, the use of Sun Yat-sen's portrait strengthened the people's recognition of the republican leader and the new regime. On the other hand, the design of the five-grain (rice, wheat, soybeans, millet, and hemp) pattern on the reverse not only echoed the foundation of China's traditional agricultural civilization but also embodied the Republican government's political ideal of "encouraging agriculture as the foundation" and achieving people's prosperity. From the perspective of monetary history, the birth of "Sun Xiaotou" marked a historic shift in China's machine-made coins from "imperial symbols" (dragon patterns) to "republican symbols" (portraits of leaders, patterns of people's livelihood).

The minting technology of "Sun Xiaotou" reflected the technical height of machine-made coins in the early Republic of China. Its process covered multiple links, including mold making, silver smelting, and stamping forming. Each step demonstrated the innovation of modern industrial civilization over traditional coinage technology.

Mold making was the core link of minting. The molds of the Nanjing General Mint were designed and produced under the leadership of the Italian engraver Giorgi. Advanced steel mold engraving technology at that time was adopted to accurately present details such as Sun Yat-sen's portrait and the five-grain pattern. The molds were divided into positive molds (punches) and negative molds (die rings). Through mechanical stamping, the silver blanks were formed with obverse and reverse patterns. Judging from the relief effect of the silver coins in the picture, the layers of the portrait, the strokes of the characters, and the textures of the decorations are all clearly distinguishable—indicating that the molds were of extremely high precision and the stamping pressure was sufficient.

Silver material processing followed strict standards. The silver used for minting needed to reach a purity of "90% silver" (with a silver content of over 90%). After being melted at high temperature, the silver was poured into steel molds to form silver blanks, which then underwent processes such as edge rolling and cleaning. The silver coins in the picture have a soft silver color and natural patina—this is the result of the combined effect of silver purity and later oxidation, and this patina state is also an important basis for judging their authenticity and age.

Stamping forming adopted mechanical stamping equipment. The new coin presses imported from the United States by the Nanjing General Mint could provide sufficient pressure to fully fill the silver blanks in the molds, forming clear patterns and sharp edge reeding. The edge reeding of the two silver coins in the picture is uniform and neat, with deep and distinct reeding shapes—this is a typical feature of mechanical stamping technology, forming a sharp contrast with the manual casting of silver ingots in the Qing Dynasty.

Historical significance is its core value. As the "first founding coin" of the Republic of China regime, "Sun Xiaotou" witnessed China's historical transition from monarchy to republicanism and is a materialized carrier of the historical memory of the Xinhai Revolution. Each "Sun Xiaotou" tells the hardships and glories of the founding of the Republic of China. This historical added value makes it transcend the attribute of ordinary currency and become a historical relic.

Although the two "Sun Xiaotou" coins in the picture are just ordinary examples among the Republic of China Founding Commemorative Coins, they embody the political ideals and technological wisdom of an era. With Sun Yat-sen's portrait as the visual core and the pattern of "bumper harvest of the five grains" as the spiritual sustenance, they freeze the historical moment of the founding of the Republic of China on a silver carrier through exquisite machine-made coin technology.From a historical background perspective, they are the product of the reconstruction of monetary sovereignty after the Xinhai Revolution. From the perspective of version characteristics, they are a microcosmic reflection of the evolution of minting technology and regional differences in the early Republic of China. From the perspective of collection value, they are a combination of historical significance, artistic value, and scarcity. In the current collection context, these two "Sun Xiaotou" coins have transcended the practical function of currency and become an important window for interpreting social changes, technological standards, and collection culture in the early Republic of China.

*本次藏品：孙小头一组 *

典藏尺寸：重：26.6g直径：39.3mm/重：26.7g直径：39.2mm

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.