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I know its not a coin, but I just couldn't melt it.

Jinx86Jinx86 Posts: 3,671 ✭✭✭✭✭
in World & Ancient Coins Forum

This was in a melt I was prepping the other day. I noticed the American flag, and squinted a bit, but that looks to be the early Chinese flag 1910-20's ish. It test 23K gold, 41mm tall 49mm wide.

Can anyone help identify this piece?



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    ashelandasheland Posts: 22,694 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That's really cool!

    My YouTube Channel

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    Type2Type2 Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That is very cool. Nice save worth a lot more then melt.



    Hoard the keys.
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    StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Any more info on it yet? There's sure to be a backstory somewhere. Definitely too cool to melt.

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    Jinx86Jinx86 Posts: 3,671 ✭✭✭✭✭

    All I know is the 2nd flag is Republic of China "Warlord" Flag, from 1912-1926. And that its gold. Why it has the US Flag is there next to it is puzzling to me.

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    Jinx86Jinx86 Posts: 3,671 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Still no new info on this piece. No one at the coin club meeting had anything to add either. So still on the hunt.

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    dadamsdadams Posts: 376 ✭✭✭
    edited March 21, 2017 8:36PM

    As I understand the "Warlord" flag you mention was actually the first ROC flag and was in use from 1912-1928. SEE: Flag of the ROC

    In 1927, there was a Marine Detachment (4th Marine Regiment ) sent to Shanghai to protect Americans residing in the Shanghai International Settlement, but in fact US Marines had long been in China before that date.

    I'll bet that this is a souvenir brought home from one of those Marines that had been stationed there between 1912-1928 SEE: chinamarine.org specifically check out Chronology and the Souvenirs and Ephemera page. Most of the souvenirs shown are of a later vintage than yours, but you should see some resemblance in the items show there. In particular this cigarette case:

    image
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    Jinx86Jinx86 Posts: 3,671 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "The Five-coloured flag was used as a national flag from the inception of the Republic in 1912 until the demise of the warlord government in 1928."

    Either way we have the time frame narrowed down.

    Thanks for all the links. Dont think I'll be getting much done at work today though.

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    tyler267tyler267 Posts: 1,234 ✭✭✭✭

    I'll bet that this is a souvenir brought home from one of those Marines that had been stationed there between 1912-1928 SEE: chinamarine.org specifically check out Chronology and the Souvenirs and Ephemera page. Most of the souvenirs shown are of a later vintage than yours, but you should see some resemblance in the items show there. In particular this cigarette case:

    Interesting theory that makes sense.

    Very cool piece of history I'm glad you saved it from being melted.

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    mjhoffpauirmjhoffpauir Posts: 241 ✭

    Do not sell it...if only it could talk to us of all the adventures its been through. It's a very nice piece and conversation starter. Great Find.

    "There are two types of people in the world. Those that do the work and those that take the credit. Try to be in the first group, there is less competition there" - Ghandi
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    Jinx86Jinx86 Posts: 3,671 ✭✭✭✭✭

    No plans to sell as a I collect US Militaria. I do like to trace the history of pieces and if possible find a connection to who received this.

    Recently I found a US Navy reimbursement slip to a soldier who was from here in North Dakota. Him and his brother had enlisted in the Navy in 1940 and had been on two ships together, one was the USS Yorktown which sunk in the Battle of Midway with both of them on it. I do not know where he was stationed in the Pacific when he passed or how, I do know the date though. His brother had passed several years ago or I may have wanted to contract him. But with family so disconnected with a relative who passed so long ago I don't know how well I would be received.

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