952) Chinese Trade Dollars: Niue Island in partnership with the East India Company Bullion Ltd. has issued the third coin in the five-coin series titled "The Trade Dollar Collection" depicting five Trade Dollar Coins which shaped commerce in various parts of the world: A Gold 250 Dollar and a Silver 1 Dollar Coin issued in 2019 depicting the Chinese Trade Dollar:
The Treasury of the Government of Niue Island, (located in the South Pacific) has in partnership with the East India Company Bullion Ltd. brought out the third coin in this immensely popular five - Coin Series titled "The Trade Dollar Collection". The Coin Series will feature five of the most popular and sought after trade coins/pieces issued during the mid-19th to the 20th Centuries.
The first coin in the Series was a Proof quality Collector Coin issued in 2018 and bullion quality coin that featured the design of the "British Trade Dollar", originally issued in 1895.
The second coin in the Series was issued in the second half of 2018 and depicted the Trade Dollar first issued by the United States of America in 1873.
The second coin in the Series was issued in the second half of 2018 and depicted the Trade Dollar first issued by the United States of America in 1873.
Struck in exceptional Proof quality, the third Silver coin's Reverse features a detailed depiction of the classic Chinese Dragon in the centre. It is meant as a lasting tribute to a currency born out of commerce and trade. This coin is perhaps the most distinctive as the Reverse side image is exceptionally well-designed.
The Trade Dollar Collection is a tribute to the coins that shaped international commerce in various parts of the world.
The remaining coins in this 5 coin series are Trade Dollars from France and Japan.
The Chinese Trade Dollar - third coin in the Series:
China's first Trade Dollar was often attributed to having been created at the initiative of the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) of the Qing Dynasty, in her quest to modernise the Chinese economy. During the time of her Regency (1861-1908) for her son and later for an adopted son, she ordered the formation of a Western style customs service.
This directive enabled China to trade more efficiently with the rest of the world.
During this period, weights and measures standards were also re-organised, which was very important to the development of new silver coinage - in time for the release of the "Dragon" Trade Dollar.
First issued in 1889, the Chinese Silver Trade Coins were minted in the Province of Kwangtung in a purpose-built Western-style Mint. With equipment procured from the United Kingdom, coins minted at this facility were machine-struck and included the depiction of a mythical dragon in traditional style on the Reverse.
Borrowed from designs seen on similar Japanese and Korean coins, the Dragon made its own appearance with a distinctly Chinese approach. Below the ferocious Dragon, stated on each coin in English were the Chinese specifications of weight measurement, including the mace - a traditional Chinese measurement that was intermittently used as a currency denomination.
The candareen is another traditional measurement of weight that is equal to one-tenth of a mace. This combination equated to approximately 27.22 grams (or 420 grains), and with a fineness of .900 Silver, the Chinese Trade Dollar closely resembled the well-known Spanish Eight-Reales coin (nicknamed as "Pieces of Eight") that was so often used and preferred all over Asia.
Arising from the surge in Western merchants looking to trade with China following the opening of Opium Wars, the Chinese Trade Dollar, which had the same specifications as the Spanish 8-Reales coin became commonly known as the "Silver Dragons" or "Dragon Dollars".
The Coin variants:
The Obverse and Reverse of the Silver One Dollar Trade Coin presented side-by-side
An image of an actual Chinese Trade Dollar issued in 1904, shows the dragon on the Reverse and Chinese numerals on the Obverse. The inscriptions along the periphery on the Reverse, although somewhat obliterated read "KIANG NAN PROVINCE" and 27.22 MACE AND 2 CANDAREENS".
The Reverse of the Silver One Dollar Chinese Trade Coin depicts a classic rendition of a dragon seen on the first Chinese Trade Dollar. The primary design is surrounded by an Eastern symmetrical pattern and beads along with the inscription - "EAST INDIA COMPANY TRADE DOLLAR".
The Obverse of the Silver One Dollar Chinese Trade Coin depicts an effigy of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, designed by Ian Rank-Broadley, whose initials "IRB" appear below the Queen's neck (This image was not present on the Chinese Trade Dollars as is seen on the image of a Chinese Trade dollar given above and is a modern day version of the Obverse).
The text around the Queen's image includes the name of the issuing country "NIUE ISLAND", the denomination of the coin "ONE DOLLAR" and the year of issue "2019".
The specifications of the Silver $1 Chinese Trade Dollar are:
Denomination: 1 Dollar; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 31.1 grams or 1 Oz; Diameter/Size: 38.6 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 1,888 presentation pieces; Country of issue: Niue Island; Year of issue: 2019.
The Trade Dollar Collection is a tribute to the coins that shaped international commerce in various parts of the world.
The remaining coins in this 5 coin series are Trade Dollars from France and Japan.
The Chinese Trade Dollar - third coin in the Series:
China's first Trade Dollar was often attributed to having been created at the initiative of the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) of the Qing Dynasty, in her quest to modernise the Chinese economy. During the time of her Regency (1861-1908) for her son and later for an adopted son, she ordered the formation of a Western style customs service.
This directive enabled China to trade more efficiently with the rest of the world.
During this period, weights and measures standards were also re-organised, which was very important to the development of new silver coinage - in time for the release of the "Dragon" Trade Dollar.
First issued in 1889, the Chinese Silver Trade Coins were minted in the Province of Kwangtung in a purpose-built Western-style Mint. With equipment procured from the United Kingdom, coins minted at this facility were machine-struck and included the depiction of a mythical dragon in traditional style on the Reverse.
Borrowed from designs seen on similar Japanese and Korean coins, the Dragon made its own appearance with a distinctly Chinese approach. Below the ferocious Dragon, stated on each coin in English were the Chinese specifications of weight measurement, including the mace - a traditional Chinese measurement that was intermittently used as a currency denomination.
The candareen is another traditional measurement of weight that is equal to one-tenth of a mace. This combination equated to approximately 27.22 grams (or 420 grains), and with a fineness of .900 Silver, the Chinese Trade Dollar closely resembled the well-known Spanish Eight-Reales coin (nicknamed as "Pieces of Eight") that was so often used and preferred all over Asia.
Arising from the surge in Western merchants looking to trade with China following the opening of Opium Wars, the Chinese Trade Dollar, which had the same specifications as the Spanish 8-Reales coin became commonly known as the "Silver Dragons" or "Dragon Dollars".
The Coin variants:
The text around the Queen's image includes the name of the issuing country "NIUE ISLAND", the denomination of the coin "ONE DOLLAR" and the year of issue "2019".
The specifications of the Silver $1 Chinese Trade Dollar are:
Denomination: 1 Dollar; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Silver (Ag); Weight: 31.1 grams or 1 Oz; Diameter/Size: 38.6 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 1,888 presentation pieces; Country of issue: Niue Island; Year of issue: 2019.
The text around the Queen's image includes the name of the issuing country "NIUE ISLAND", the denomination of the coin "250 DOLLARS" and the year of issue "2019".
The specifications of the Gold 250 Dollars Coin are:
Denomination: 250 Dollars; Metal Composition: .999 Fineness Gold; Weight: 31.1 grams or 1 Oz; Diameter/Size: 32.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 288 presentation pieces; Country of issue: Niue Island; Year of issue: 2019.
Posts on Coins issued by the East India Company Bullion Ltd. in partnership with other countries on this Blog:
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