The origins of some silver dollars involve not only family memories but also a history of service. The"junk dollar"Mr. Tam brought in carries such weight.
Mr. Tam, 62, has lived in Tuen Mun for thirty years. He is a former Locally Enlisted Personnel (LEP) of the British Forces in Hong Kong. He retired before 1997 and subsequently worked in security and property management, recently retiring permanently. While organizing his father's belongings (his father was also a former serviceman), he found a military-issue metal lunchbox containing two silver coins wrapped separately in cotton cloth, along with a yellowed handwritten note:"23rd year of the Republic, given by Ah Chang."
"My father told me he met a group of veteran soldiers from mainland China in the barracks, and these coins were a souvenir left to him by one of his comrades,"Mr. Tam said calmly, yet with evident emotion.
Appraisal: Sun Yat-sen Junk Silver Dollar, Year 23 of the Republic of China
Both coins are"junk dollars"– featuring a profile of Sun Yat-sen on the obverse and a double-masted sailboat on the reverse, dated"Year 23 of the Republic of China."Each coin was examined:
Coin 1: Grade XF40, with even, dark grey toning. The keel texture is clear, and the sail's fine lines are Li Ti. Weight 26.72 grams.
Coin 2: Grade VF30, with moderate circulation wear. Details of the boat are slightly blurred, but the inscription borders are intact. Weight 26.65 grams.
Both coins are common circulation editions (not the"three birds"variety), but the difference in condition leads to a significant price difference.
Quotation
- Coin 1 (XF40): HK$3,800
- Coin 2 (VF30): HK$2,500
- Total: HK$6,300
Mr. Tam considered it for a few days before confirming. He stated that the reason for selling was not a lack of money, but rather that he felt"they weren't appreciated just sitting there, so it's better to preserve this memory in a different form."
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