江南省造光绪元宝癸卯十文KIANG SOO 极美
China - Provincial，KIANGNAN: Kuang Hsu, 1875-1908, AE 10 cash, CD1903, Y-—, W-715, struck with muled dies of Kiangsu obverse and Kiangnan reverse, obverse die cud, lightly cleaned, EF, RR, ex Dr. John Abner Snell Collection (#113). Dr. John Abner Snell served as a missionary doctor in China from 1909 until his unexpected death in March 1936. During most of his years in China, Dr. Snell served as chief administrator and surgeon at the Methodist Hospital in Soochow (Suzhou) China. In addition to his medical responsibilities, Dr. Snell began collecting and trading Chinese coins. His extensive collection has remained in the Snell family locked away in its original steamer trunk for 75 years, forgotten by the numismatic community until now. Dr. Snell became an expert on Chinese coins of the early twentieth century. He wrote an article, "Chinese Copper Coins of the Twentieth Century" which was published in the June 1932 issue of The Numismatist. In the illustrated article, he describes the history of coinage in China after 1900. Dr. Snell was also cited by A. M. Tracey Woodward in a 1931 article in The China Journal for his knowledge of Chinese mints. Dr. Snells collection consists of approximately 950 coins of which 765 are copper and brass of various denominations and 185 are silver.
