Buying and selling Sun Yat-sen portrait silver coins - Sun Yat-sen small head Republic of China founding | Gu Jin Jian Bao

The Republic of China was founded in 1912, with Sun Yat-sen inaugurated as the provisional president. However, his position was later usurped by Yuan Shikai, who, despite becoming president, unfortunately died just 83 days into his tenure. In the same year, the Nanjing Mint struck the Founding of the Republic of China Commemorative Bi-flag Coin, with an English version of the two-dime silver coin featuring Sun Yat-sen's bust on the reverse, commonly known as the "English Version of Sun Xiaotou."The obverse of the coin features a double flag of the Republic of China within a beaded border, tied with a thin ribbon, with"Zhong Hua Republic of China"(Republic of China) inscribed above and"Kai Guo Ji Nian Bi"(Founding Commemorative Coin) below, flanked by floral decorations. The reverse depicts a profile bust of Sun Yat-sen, with"MEMENTO"inscribed above and"BIRTH OF REPUBLIC OF CHINA"below, and six-pointed stars adorning the upper rim. The overall design is simple and dignified. The coin has a diameter of 24 mm, weighs 5.3 grams, and has reeded edges.

Authentication and Edition Analysis of the "Sun Xiaotou Founding Commemorative Bi-flag Two-Dime Coin"

For many collectors and individuals looking to sell Sun Yat-sen silver two-dime coins, the initial assessment of whether an "English version Sun Xiaotou two-dime coin" is genuine is the crucial factor in determining its Republic of China Founding Commemorative Coin resale price. Due to the coin's short issuance period and scarcity, counterfeits are common in the market. Our professional team at [Gukin Gem Appraisal] has compiled the following key identification points to help you enhance your sensitivity to Republic of China ancient coin authentication.

Comparison Table for Genuine vs. Counterfeit Sun Xiaotou Bi-flag Two-Dime Silver Coins

Authentication Dimension	Genuine Features (Original Era)	Counterfeit / Fake Features
Patina and Surface	After a century, the surface naturally oxidizes, forming a deeply ingrained patina with rich and uneven colors, often exhibiting the soft, mellow luster characteristic of old silver.	Patina is often artificially aged with chemicals, appearing superficial and lacking layers. Sometimes there's a pungent chemical odor, or it may appear overly shiny.
Edge Reeding Craftsmanship	Pressed by original machines at the Nanjing Mint in the early Republic of China era, the edge reeding is deep, regular, with clear angles, and natural signs of wear.	Edge reeding is often cut by modern machines or cast by sand molding, with harsh, sharp edges that feel rough, or are overly smooth and weak. Tooth spacing often appears uneven.
Lettering and Beaded Border	The strokes of"Zhong Hua Republic of China"on the obverse and"MEMENTO"on the reverse are strong and lively; the beads within the beaded border are uniform in size and densely arranged.	Lettering edges are often blurry or smeared, and English letters vary in thickness; beads often appear shriveled, or even damaged or misaligned.
Portrait Details	The profile bust of Dr. Sun Yat-sen has a three-dimensional relief, with clear details such as hair strands, ear contours, and collar lines, and deep-set eyes.	The portrait is flat and lacks three-dimensionality, hair details are blurry and clumpy, and the overall facial expression is dull, lacking the demeanor of a great leader.
Metallic Sound	Gently hold the coin by its center with fingertips and tap its edge with another silver coin or a wooden ruler; the sound should be clear and prolonged, with a distinctive resonating overtone unique to pure silver.	The sound is dull and muted (indicating a high lead or copper content), or overly sharp and short (produced by modern alloy die-casting).

Historical Status and Collection Potential of the Two-Dime Subsidiary Coin

Compared to the more common "Sun Xiaotou One-Yuan" main coin, this Nanjing Mint Bi-flag Two-Dime Silver Coin circulated as a "subsidiary coin" for daily transactions at the time. In the early Republic of China, amidst warlord fragmentation and currency chaos, the two-dime subsidiary coin had an extremely high circulation rate. However, precisely because of frequent civilian transactions and transfers, it suffered severe wear and tear.

This explains why in the current Sun Xiaotou English Version Two-Dime auction market, bi-flag two-dime coins that are "uncirculated" (original luster) or high-grade (such as PCGS or NGC MS levels) are extremely rare. For such early Republic of China silver coin collections, even small differences in condition can lead to several or even tens of times the disparity in market value.

Four Key Factors Affecting the Purchase Price of Founding Commemorative Two-Dime Coins

To provide you with a more transparent understanding of the evaluation criteria for high-price Buyback of oldsilver dollars, we typically consider the following four key factors when conducting free home antique coin appraisals:

1. Condition Grade: Does the coin surface retain its original mint luster? Are there severe scratches, chop marks, or repair traces? The price difference between uncirculated (UNC) and circulated (VF/XF) coins is vast.
2. Rarity of Variety: While all are bi-flag two-dime coins, variations in English letter spacing, the specific shape of the star flowers, and errors in the reverse English inscription (e.g., missing words, misspellings) can create rare varieties that become dark horses at auctions.
3. Patina State (Eye Appeal): Silver coins with "rainbow patina," "toning," or "deep old patina" are highly favored by experienced collectors due to their excellent visual appeal, commanding higher premiums.
4. Market Supply and Demand (Market Trend): With the rising popularity of the Chinese coin auction marketin recent years, the demand for highly reputable subsidiary coins has surged, driving up overall buyback prices.

This coin is an early Sun Yat-sen founding commemorative coin, extremely rare, and considered a prestigious collectible. It has repeatedly set new highs at domestic auctions and is recognized as one of the most valuable rare subsidiary two-dime coins for collection. In addition, there are other versions of the Sun Yat-sen founding commemorative coin, such as those with six stars above and five stars below, known as"Sun Xiaotou Founding Commemorative Coins,"which also come in various editions. Gukin Gem Appraisal specializes in Buyback various Sun Yat-sen silver coins. We have a professional appraisal team and offer free on-site Buyback. We look forward to cooperating with you.

Gukin Gem Appraisal, based in Hong Kong, specializes in appraising and purchasing ancient coins, old banknotes, gold and silver jewelry, and various antiques. Feel free to WhatsApp 98342057 with photos for an inquiry; our appraisers will respond with a preliminary valuation as soon as possible. We operate our business with integrity, valuing "truth" in appraisal, pricing, and transactions.

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