拍品描述： 袁世凯"大鬍子"大总统肖像开国纪念壹圆银样币。苏州造币厂。NGC 及 PCGS 评鉴中唯一获评。<strong>极为罕见</strong>，广受追捧的版别。铸额有限，存世极少，鲜少于市场露面。铸打不失深峻，细节分明，经受痕迹柔和，集中在高铸处及底板。币面呈较暗的灰色，与浓郁的点状石板灰及红褐色包浆交织。仔细检閲可见反面有複打痕迹及轻微旋转，更添特色，轻易便能辨认出是图版币。 此枚实属稀世奇珍，实力浑厚的藏家不能错过。&lt;p&gt;正面为蓄有鬍鬚的袁世凯半身像，实心圈环绕，上有铭文"大总统肖像"，下有花环。反面俩旗帜交叉（中国民国五色旗及武昌起义的铁血十八星旗），竖直铭文"开国纪念"。或是早期民国钱币中最为罕见的版别之一。流传时间虽短，百多年来却引来藏家与学者前赴后继的关注。A.M. Tracey Woodward 曾是此币的藏家，其于 1831 年 2 月的 The China Journal 中曾刊登一篇文章，探讨从曾在苏州生活的挚友 John Abner Snell 医生处听来的数个相关近代传闻。

据 Snell 医生所述，苏州有两座造币厰，一座位于城墙之外，仅铸造铜币；而另一座则在城内，负责铸造银币。两座造币厰均于 1906 年结业。Snell 医生忆述银币造币厰于 1911 年末重新开始营业，但仅持续数月，便于 1912 年初便再次关闭。所有造币设备均被拆除并移送至南京造币厰。据 Woodward 所知，当时的袁世凯样币有两个版别，但各自的铸额未明。显然，这些设计并未完全投入生产便被束之高阁，为后世钱币学家留下诸多谜团。&lt;p&gt;另一值得考究的是此版所使用的人像。马传德先生曾进行大量资料搜集，再结合其父马定祥先生的研究，于 1993 年 6 月 21 日出版1993 #3《世界钱币时讯 中国钱币》及 1995 #3《钱币博论》。马先生寻获 1912 蓄鬍子的袁世凯相片，其肖像与此版完一致，足见是此版设计的灵感来源。

CHINA. "Big Beard" Commemorative Silver Dollar Pattern, ND (1912). Suchow Mint. NGC AU-55.L&M-937; K-B54 (plate coin); WS-0117 (rarity: five stars); Wenchao-1099 (rarity: four stars). Being the only certified example on either the NGC or PCGS population reports, this EXTREMELY RARE and highly desirable issue, <em>clearly struck in limited quantities</em>, seldom appears on the market and has very few examples known. The strike is quite bold, with strong details and signs of being gently handled primarily contained to the high points and exposed areas. The surfaces display a somewhat muted argent coloration combined with rich mottled slate and russet patination throughout.

Close inspection of the reverse reveals evidence of double striking and a slight rotation, offering unique characteristics to this piece and making identification and plate matching a rather easy venture. Great consideration should be given for this tremendous offering, as numismatic rarities of this caliber are seldom encountered.<p><em>The obverse depicts the bearded bust of Yuan Shih-kai within solid border and the legend "Da Zong Tong Xiao Xiang" (Presidential Portrait), with a wreath below. The iconography on the reverse is composed of two crossed flags (the Five-Colored Flag of the Republic of China and the Iron Blood Eighteen-star flag of the Wuchang Uprising), with the vertical legend "Kai Guo Ji Nian" (Commemoration of the founding of the Country).</em><p><em>Perhaps one of the rarest early Republican issues known, this short-lived commemorative has generated much interest from collectors and scholars for more than 100 years. According to A. M. Tracey Woodward, a previous owner of this piece, in his article published in "The China Journal" February 1931 he discusses several interesting contemporary accounts from his dear friend Dr. John Abner Snell who lived and worked in Suchow.

Dr. Snell reported that the city had two mints, one mint was exclusively for producing copper coins and was located outside the city walls while the other was specifically for silver issues situated on the interior, both closed in 1906. According to Dr. Snell late in 1911 the silver mint went back into production ultimately closing a few months later in early 1912. All the minting equipment was dismantled and transferred to the Nanking mint. Woodward was aware of two different types of Yuan Shih-kai patterns struck during this time though the quantity of each is unknown. Obviously, these designs never went into full production and were abandoned leaving many questions for future numismatists.</em><p><em>Another aspect that should be taken into consideration about whom is depicted on this issue was the monumental research undergone by Mr. Ma Chuande, based on his fathers research Mr. Ma Dingxiang, subsequently published in the June 21, 1993 edition of World Coin News, Zhongguo Qianbi (China Numismatics) 1993 # 3 and in Qianbi Bolun 1995 #3. Ma was able to uncover images of a bearded Yuan Shih-kai from around 1912 whose resemblance was uncanny and is without doubt the inspiration of this issue.</em>Ex: A. M. Tracey Woodward Collection (Schulman - 4/1951) Lot # 2763.<p>Plated in "Illustrated Catalog of Chinese Coins" by Eduard Kann.