Coin | Silver Ounce 2019 Chinese Trade Dollar |
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Saint Helena is a small island in the South Atlantic Ocean which is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. The currency of the island is the Saint Helena pound, fixed at parity with the pound sterling. The island has authorised some private mints to issue coins under its jurisdiction, which come in a variety of sizes - including in the popular silver ounce (1 oz silver) format, usually denominated as £1.
The 2019 1 oz Saint Helena Chinese Trade Dollar Silver Coin is part of a range dedicated to "trade dollars" and is inspired by the Chinese Trade Dollar, also known as a Dragon Dollar.
The Mint says about this coin: The ferocious depiction of a mythical dragon in traditional Chinese style appeared on a new silver Chinese coin in 1889, following the reorganisation of Chinese weights and measures sanctioned by the legendary Empress Dowager Cixi - one of the last empresses of China’s Qing Dynasty - in her quest to modernise China’s economy. Arising from the surge in western merchants looking to trade with China following the opening of Opium Wars, the Chinese Trade Dollar was minted in the same specification as the trusted and preferred Spanish 8 Reales and became commonly known as "silver dragons" or "dragon dollars".
Created by commerce, the silver trade dollars of the Orient became the "calling card" for nations looking to exchange silver bullion for luxuries with the Far East. Beautifully designed and faithfully inspired by the original Trade Dollars of Britain, United States, China, France and Japan, The Trade Dollar collection is a series of five trade dollars struck to the highest proof quality in 1oz gold and 1oz silver weights creating a five coin collection to treasure and collect. |
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Obverse | |
The obverse of the coin depicts the crowned old bust of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, wearing the Royal Diamond Diadem crown worn for her Coronation (effigy known as the "Fifth Portrait" worldwide but "Sixth Portrait" in Australia, where the Queen's portrait by Vladimir Gottwald was fifth).
The Queen also wears the Coronation Necklace; originally made for Queen Victoria in 1858, it was also worn at the coronations (as Queen's Consort) of Queen Alexandra in 1902, Queen Mary in 1911 and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen mother) in 1937.
Unlike on British coinage, the effigy is "uncouped" (includes the Queen's shoulders). In small letters on the left, the artist's initials JC (for Jody Clark).
Running continuously around the rim is the monarch's legend, the date of issue and the face value: QUEEN ELIZABETH II · ST. HELENA · ONE POUND · 2019 ·.
There is a wide rim around the effigy, decorated in Oriental fashion with a "key" pattern. |
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Reverse | |
Surrounded by an "Oriental"-style border with a "key" pattern, the reverse of the coin shows a ferocious Chinese dragon curled around a flaming pearl - the symbol of wisdom and enlightenment in Chinese culture. In the background, clouds.
Around, between the central design and the Oriental rim, the inscription THE EAST INDIA COMPANY · TRADE DOLLAR ·. |
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Reverse Inscription |
THE EAST INDIA COMPANY · TRADE DOLLAR · |
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Edge | Milled | Edge Inscription | None |
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Notes | Finish: bullion (Brilliant Uncirculated) Packaging: loose, or 18 coins in tube, or 450 in master box. |
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See also |
Coins issued by The East India Company and featuring Trade Dollar designs include: - 1 oz Gold Proof, British Trade Dollar, Niue 2018 - 1 oz Silver Bullion, British Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2018 - 1 oz Gold Proof, US Trade Dollar, Niue 2018 - 1 oz Silver Proof, US Trade Dollar, Niue 2018 - 1 oz Silver Bullion, US Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2018 - 1 oz Silver Proof, British Trade Dollar, Niue 2018 - 1 oz Gold Proof, Chinese Trade Dollar, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Silver Proof, Chinese Trade Dollar, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Silver Bullion, Chinese Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2019 - 1 oz Gold Proof, Japanese Trade Dollar, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Silver Proof, Japanese Trade Dollar, Niue 2019 - 1 oz Gold Proof, French Trade Dollar, Niue 2020 - 1 oz Silver Proof, French Trade Dollar, Niue 2020 - 1 oz Silver Bullion, French Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2020 - 1 oz Silver Bullion, Japanese Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2020 - 1 oz Gold Proof, Modern Chinese Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2021 - 1 oz Silver Bullion and Proof, Modern Chinese Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2021 - 1 oz Gold Proof, Modern British Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2022 - 1 oz Silver Bullion and Proof, Modern British Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2022 - 1 oz Gold Proof, Modern Japanese Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2023 - 1 oz Silver Bullion and Proof, Modern Japanese Trade Dollar, Saint Helena 2023
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