拍品描述： 光绪三十年湖北省造大清银币库平双龙壹两银币。小字版。设计典雅，採用双龙而非单一龙图。此面值(及其币制)注定以失败收场。重量较圆面值重，流通时间极短，因此非常罕见亦深受藏家追捧。可见些许清洗痕迹，现已重新养出棕色调包浆，悦目可人。湖北双龙壹两共制有648,000枚，大字版和小字版均计算在内，各版具体铸造量不详。当时的币制改革拟弃用圆为单位，改用中国传统重量单位制钱，湖北壹两便应运而生。原本在制造双龙壹两的同时，铸币局还要铸伍钱、贰钱、壹钱等辅币。但是这些辅币均无流通币流传于世(甚至不见样币)，因此很有可能未曾铸出。当时的百姓普遍认为两种币制在转换时会引起困扰，在找零时尤其如此。<p>(t) CHINA. Hupeh. Tael, Year 30 (1904). Wuchang Mint. Kuang-hsu (Guangxu). PCGS Genuine--Cleaned, Unc Details.L&M-180; K-933; KM-Y-128.2; WS-0878. Small characters variety. Despite its elegant design, <em>featuring not one, but </em>two<em> dragons</em>, this denomination (<em>and corresponding monetary system to which it was affixed</em>) was doomed to fail. Struck to a higher weight than the current dollar-based unit, this type became very short-lived, accounting for its popularity and <strong>RARITY</strong>. Some cleaning is noted, but an alluring array of burnished toning has begun to reappear.<p><em>648,000 Hupeh Taels were originally minted, inclusive of both large and small characters types; however, it is unknown exactly how many of each were struck. This Tael was introduced as part of a projected coinage reform based upon the traditional Chinese weight standard, rather than the Dollar system. In the initial proposal to produce these coins, it was also suggested to produce smaller denominations in the values of 1, 2, and 5 Mace. However, no such pieces have surfaced (even in pattern form), and it is unlikely that they were ever produced. The general populace found it complicated to convert two distinctly different coinage systems, especially when making change.</em>