拍品描述： China - Provincial. FUKIEN: Tao Kuang, 1820-1850, AR dollar, ND (1844), Kann-5, L&M-290, Changchow Military Ration issue, character tong with open head variety, with single Chinese chopmark as usual for this rare type, NGC graded AU details, RRR. The Fukien Changchow Military Ration Dollar is one of the least comprehensively understood of the early Chinese silver types. On the obverse, there are four characters translating to "Changchow Commissiariat", under which is a signature in handwriting style. On the reverse are four additional characters translating to "pure pattern, generally current." The history of the coin is not well documented but according to some important catalogs (Kann, H. Chang, Dr. Tseng, Chang Foundation), it may have been issued in 1836 or 1866, but a date of 1844 is commonly applied. Despite the lack of available information, the type is still considered a very important historical coin of China in that it represents one of the earliest attempts at a dollar denomination which was the value of the majority of foreign coins circulating in China at that time.