5 Fen - Guangxu Pattern; brass ND

Reverse

Dragon with pearl at centre surrounded by English legend.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
SZECHUEN PROVINCE
3.6 CANDAREENS

Engraver: Charles Edward Barber

Edge

Reeded.

Comment

In 1896, the Imperial Government of China was wanting to modernize Chengtu's mint in Szechuan. Both the British Royal Mint and the American Trading Company were both commissioned to make patterns, with those from America being the accepted designs.

These patterns were struck by the Ferracute Machine Company (who, while was not necessarily a mint, was a supplier of minting machinery) in 1897, with patterns being struck in both silver and brass. After their initial presentation, the company shipped the patterns and minting machinery to Chengtu.

When everything arrived at Chengtu thirteen months later, the dies were badly rusted due to water damage. Some examples were struck in 1898, but then minting was delayed until 1901, when Chinese engravers had remade the dies (although those new dies were a much lesser quality than the originals, sometimes even displaying errors in the English legend).

It seems KM#Pn8 and KM#Pn17 are the same type, with the later being attributed to an erroneous date (1902; following Kann) and the latter being attributed to the correct date (1897; supposedly unlisted in Kann).

Interesting fact