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I find that the Standard Catalog of World Coins by Mr. C. L. Krause and Mr. C. Mishler has listed only about ten varieties of 20-Cents of Hsuan Tung Yuanpao of Qing Dynasty. Actually there are about 35 to 40 varieties of the same series were found by the collectors up to now. Perhaps these varieties of Hsuan T'ung cent coins are too numerous to list in the Standard Catalog of World Coins. Since the variant legends of the Hsuan T'ung coins have many attractions for the coin collector of the world, I am happy to write this page as an additional reference to supplement the Standard Catalog of World Coins. There seems to be no valid explanation for the great number of variant legends used in the series of Hsuan T'ung Yuanpao of Qing Dynasty. I think this may be due to the customarily used in exchanges of this subsidiary coins in the Three Northeast Provinces and also the frequently changes of the governing power between the Hsuan T'ung reign of Qing Dynasty and the Republic periods. Below are Some Descriptions about Hsuan T'ung Coins of the Three Northeast Provinces from the Reference Books : Xuan Tong Yuanbao of Three Northeast Provinces Mint, Kuping 1 Qian 4 Fen 4 Li was minted in the Three Northeast provinces during the Reign of Emperor Xuan Tong (or Hsuan Tung) of the Qing Dynasty. The obverse bears the legend of XUAN TONG YUANBAO in Chinese and Manchurian in the centre, with "minted in the Three Northeast Provinces" and face value above and below the centre. On the reverse is a dragon design in the centre, which is surreounded by English translations of the the place and time of the mintage. Variations in the floral stars and English words on the reverse show different editions.(Ref: page 506, An Overview of China's Gold and Silver Coins of Past Ages - the gold and silver coins and medals of Modern China, published by China Finance Publishing House, 1993) Manchurian Provinces [or Three Northeast Provinces] are the name as a whole for The Three Eastern Provinces, VIZ. FUNG-TIEN PROVINCE, KIRIN PROVINCE AND HEI-LUNG-KIANG PROVINCE in the north-east of China outside the Great Wall. The inhabitants used to be Manchurians before they became the ruler of China, so that district was also called Manchuria. When the Japanese invaded and occupied a greater part of North China they set up a puppet state there called Manchukuo which evaporated when the Japanese unconditionally surrendered at the end of the World War II. (Ref: page 50, The silver dollars and Teals of China by Mr. H. Chang of Hong Kong, 1988) |
Hsuan Tung Yuanpao of Three Northeast Provinces :-
| I divide the 20-Cents of the Hsuan T'ung Yuanpao coins by their obverse legends, they are separated into four groups, including Manchu Words at Centre, Blank at Centre, Plum Blossom at Centre and plum Blossom with Dot at Centre.
Please be noted that the diameter of all the specimens is 23mm and their weights are about 5.1g to 5.25g.
Some of the coin images used on this page are provided by Mr.achenjs and Mr.Ting (136) . I would like to take this opportunity to say ''Thanks" to both of them, they are so kind as to let me use their coin images. Moreover, I cannot estimate the rarity of the Three Northeast Provinces cent coins up to now. It is just as what Mr. O.D. Cresswell, author of Chinese Cash, said that "It has been my experience that one collector may have several specimens of a coin which to another has remained unobtainable." I hope I can find out the rarity of this type of coins soon. |
| Obv Manchu Words at Centre |
Obv Blank at Centre | Obv Plum Blossom at Centre | Obv Plum Blossom with Dot |
| TYPE | Obverse | Reverse |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.1 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre and two small stars flanking one large star at either side |
 Dragon with blank horns and surrounded by the stylized cloud. MVNCHURIAN PROVIENCES (error) |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.2 |
 Strange Manchu script at centre and two small stars flanking one large star at either side |
 Dragon with blank horns and surrounded by the stylized cloud. PROVIENCES (error) |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.3 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre and two small stars flanking one large star at either side. The obverse is the same as the No.1 coin. |
 Dragon with blank horns and surrounded by the stylized cloud. PROVIENCES (error) |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.4 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre of inner circle with big beads and two small stars flanking one large star at either side |
 Dragon with hairy horns and surrounded by the stylized cloud. PROVIENCES (error) |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.5 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre of inner circle with small beads and two small stars flanking one large star at either side |
 Dragon with hairy horns and surrounded by the stylized cloud. PROVIENCES (error) By courtesy of Mr. achenjs |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.6 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre of inner circle with small beads and one large six-pointed rosette at either side. Below denomination in Chinese in bigger dimensions. |
 Dragon-emblem with deer's horns in centre and surrounded by stylized cloud. Date as 1st Year. There is a small piece cloud below the right front claw. |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.7 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre of inner circle with small beads and one large six-pointed rosette at either side. Below denomination in Chinese in smaller dimensions. |
 Dragon-emblem with deer's horns in centre and surrounded by normal cloud. Date as 1st Year. There is a small piece of cloud between the right rear claw and the tail. |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.8 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre of inner circle with big beads and two small stars flanking one large star at either side |
 Dragon-emblem with deer's horns in centre and surrounded by stylized cloud. Date as 1st Year. One large star at either side. |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.9 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre of inner circle with big beads and two small stars flanking one large star at either side |
 Dragon-emblem with deer's horns in centre and surrounded by normal cloud. Date as 1st Year. One large star at either side. |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.10 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre of inner circle with smaller beads and one small star at either side |
 Dragon-emblem with deer's horns in centre and surrounded by normal cloud. Date as 1st Year. One large star at either side. |
| Obv Manchu at Centre No.11 |
 Normal Manchu script at centre of inner circle with smaller beads and one small star at either side |
 Dragon-emblem with deer's horns in centre and surrounded by stylized cloud. Date as 1st Year. One large star at either side. By courtesy of Mr. achenjs |
| Obv Plum Blossom at centre |
under construction | under construction |
| under construction | under construction | |
| Obv Plum Blossom with dot | under construction | under construction |
| under construction | under construction |
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