I'm having a difficult time identifying this Chinese Silver coin that I have. I believe it is a 1930's Yuan from the Republic of China, however I have yet to see any other coins out there with the same front as this - crossed sword and bayonet-rifle w/ starred helmet.
Does anyone know if this is perhaps a wartime edition or perhaps a short-lived commemorative series?
Unfortunately I can't read Chinese, so any and all help would be greatly appreciated!
Made of silver, 39mm in diameter, 2.6mm thick, and weighs 23.22 grams.
This commemorative coin can be found on page 292 of the book "Catalogue of Chinese Gold and Silver Coins" written by Lin Guomin. This coin was made in 1938 and is the historical evidence of Japan's launching of this war of aggression.
Background of the issuance of this coin: Showa 123 is the combined name of Showa 12 and Showa 13, that is, 1937 and 1938. On August 13, 1937, the Japanese "Shanghai Expeditionary Army" used the fact that two Japanese officers and soldiers were shot dead at Shanghai Hongqiao Military Airport on August 9 as an excuse to dispatch a large number of naval and land forces and aircraft to attack Shanghai, which was the "August 13" Incident (called the Second Shanghai Incident by the Japanese side). At 10 a.m. on the day the war broke out, the Shanghai Central Mint in Zhabei was completely shut down, and the factory was forced to move to Wuchang. Due to the sudden incident and traffic obstruction, many equipment and materials could not be transported to the inland of Wuchang, and some machines and coinage raw materials were stranded in the old factory. By October 27, the Central Mint factory area was completely occupied by the Japanese army, and the stranded materials all fell into the hands of the Japanese invaders. At the same time, in order to commemorate the "conquest of China", the Japanese "Shanghai Expeditionary Army" forced the craftsmen and technicians in the mint to design and mint several versions of "China Conquest Commemorative" coins for them, which were issued to the Japanese officers and soldiers who participated in the "Shanghai Expeditionary Army" in the war against China between 1937 and 1938. These were actually special condolence coins made by the Japanese military at the time. After that, the factory was completely used as a weapons and ammunition warehouse until the end of 1939 when the factory was converted by the Japanese Navy into the headquarters of the fleet stationed in China.
When the war reached 1944, Japan was in a tight situation and supplies were very scarce. A large number of metal objects were taken for military use, and this silver coin was melted down in large quantities. To this day, only a very small number of physical objects remain in the private sector in mainland China and Taiwan.
Then I didn't find it in the SCWC nor in the “catalog of unusual coins” (if somebody knows on which book it is listed …)
In any case, associating on a coin Sun Yat-sen and the 1937 japanese invasion of Shanghai would be ridiculous. Another anachronic similar medal exists with the fatman on reverse.