NEW CHINESE DOLLAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20112, 24 November 1928, Page 14

NEW CHINESE DOLLAR.

GREAT CARE IN DESIGN. PORTRAIT OF SUN YAT SEN. t [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SHANGHAI, Oct. 12 A new silver dollar is to bo issued to commemorate tho establishment of the Nationalist Government at Nanking and to replaco the memento dollar minted in 1912, the second year of the Republic On the obverse sido of the new coin will tie tho portrait of the late Dr. Sun Yat Son, and on tho reverse an attractive allegorical design symbolising tho growth of the Kuomintang and some of the im provenients planned for this country.

The actual portrait of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, which will occupy tho obverse side, has not been decided upon. Some 450 sample dollars, giving a pari rait of the Kuc mintang founder, full face and looking younger than most of his portraits, have been struck on a die prepared by the Vienna .Mi.it. On the ground that tho portrait ot their late leader does not sufficiently resemble him, officials of the Ministry of Finance have decided not to issue tho now coin, and another die is being made.

Ful l her dies have been ordered from the Vienna Mint, and the American Bank Note Company has been approached also for dies from tho American Mint. The new portrait will probably show the founder of tho Kuomintang in semi-pro-file and dressed in (he-costume he himself designed. Round the ftdge of the obverse side will bo Chinese characters for "Chinese Republican Government." There will bo no English lettering on the coin. Chinese characters only being used.

The design for (he reverse side has been definitely settled upon, and on the sample dollar minted in Vienna looks very well indeed. In tho background is a rising sun from which shoot out 12 rays, corresponding to tho 12 points of the Nationalist star. Each ray represents one of the original 12 followers of Dr. Sun Yat Sen in the "Tung Men Hui," the revolutionary organisation from which sprang originally the Kuomintang. On the right in the foreground is a replica of Dr. Sun Yat Son's tomb, before which, running obliquely across the landscape, is a reffid, at tho end of which are some trees symbolising the desire for good roads throughout tho country. Over all are tho two Chinese characters for one yuan (ono dollar). Below the landscape is the date—l6th year of the Republic (1327) The whole design is a great improve inent upon the coin issued in 1912 as a memento of the overthrow of (he Manchus On that coin Dr. Sun Yat Son is represented as a sort of "Shock-headed Peter' in profile, with an expression of consider able perplexity. Great, cure is being exercised in choosing a design to replace this, as it is hoped that (he new design will be a permanent one on tho nation's curreiicv.