民国十九年段芝贵银章。天津造币厂。 直径：28毫米。正面：戴帽军装像，脸部微微朝左；反面： 纪念章 三字居中，嘉禾拥簇。光边。神秘莫测的一枚，纪念晚清将军段芝贵。晚清倒台后，他於1912-1913年晋升為湖北都督，1914-1915年获封彰武上将军，督理湖北军务，1915-1916年任迁镇安上将军，督理奉天军务兼巡按使。段芝贵支持袁世凯，在袁世凯去世后的一年，投靠段祺瑞领导的皖系，并获封辅威上将军。此枚纪念章虽不知其铸製原因，但很可能是於该时期（1917-1919）发行的。</p> 《中国铜元鉴赏》一书有述此枚以青铜铸造，未有提及有银质版别。其他参考书连青铜发行亦未有收录。另外《中国铜元鉴赏》一书将此肖像归类為阎锡山，亦是同时期的军阀。仔细检阅两者的肖像特徵，此枚纪念章似是更偏向段芝贵而非阎锡山。此枚银章有可能是用以嘉奖讨伐中表现出色的官员，但这仅是推测，目前未有考证。是枚精美无比，细节锐利，哑光卓越，仅微弱的经手跡象。民国时期极其 罕见 的一枚，绝对是博物馆级的珍品，堪称隋珠和璧，定让藏家珠光满溢。</p> </p> </p>
CHINA. Tuan Chih-kuei Silver Medal Silver Medal, ND (ca. 1917). Tientsin Mint. PCGS MS-64. L&M-Unlisted; K-Unlisted; KMX-Unlisted; CCC-716 var. (bronze, though attributed to Yen Hsi-shan [Yan Xishan] and to ca. 1930). Diameter: 28mm. Obverse: capped bust facing slightly left, in military attire; Reverse: Three character inscription ( commemorative medal ) within wreath. <em>Edge</em>: Plain.
An enigmatic piece, this type honors the influential Chinese general and governor in the late Qing dynasty, Tuan Chih-kuei (Duan Zhigui). Following the collapse of the empire, he served as governor of Chahar from 1912-1913, the military governor of Hupeh from 1914-1915, and a as a hybrid military/civil governor in Fengtien from 1915-1916. He was a close confidant and supporter of Yuan Shih-kai, eventually becoming Minister of War in 1917, the year after Yuans death. Quite likely, it is during this period (1917-1919) that this commemorative medal, otherwise undescriptive of its purpose, was issued.</p> CCC only lists this piece as being struck in bronze, with no mention of a silver striking. All the other reference works fall silent, not even mentioning a striking in bronze. Further, CCC mentions the depicted individual as Yen Hsi-shan, a fairly contemporaneous general and warlord, though facial similarities in a known photograph of Tuan Chih-kuei point toward an attribution to him as opposed to the former. Although the exact purpose of this medals striking is not known, what is known is its IMMENSE RARITY and dazzling beauty. Wonderful details and a lovely matted luster feature prominently, with very little evidence of contact. About as RARE as any issue, coin or medal, from the Republican period, this example is a museum-worthy piece, fully deserving of strong bids from all who want to say that they own something essentially no one else can claim to.</p>
From the Kairos Collection.
