Republic Chu Yu-pu Pattern Medallic Dollar ND (1927) MS63 NGC, L&M-962, Kann-690, WS-0125. With the vast majority of Republican Dollars from this tumultuous era of both Chinese history and numismatics readily available to collectors, only a handful of issues find themselves eluding major collections in similar fashion as this Pattern Dollar of Chu Yu-pu. Struck in commemoration of the first anniversary of Yu-pu's appointment as governor of Chihli and undoubtedly produced as a presentation piece when considering the sheer paucity of surviving examples. Pleasing metallic overtones encompass the coin's entirety, providing the perfect backdrop for Yu-pu's incredibly detailed portrait, reverse legends, and crossed flags that so often accompany issues of the era. Largely free of tone, one cannot help but fully appreciate the undistracted devices which instantly identify the current offering as nothing but special. Only 22 specimens total have been submitted to the major grading services and are seen at major auction once every few years, this being the first such instance by our firm, and as such, will be a greatly anticipated event. Chu Yu-pu, renowned for his command of the Chihli army, emerged as a central figure in Chinese history when he assumed command of the entire province, culminating in his appointment as governor on 7th April 1926. His ascendancy, however, did not come with the anticipated leverage typically associated with such a position. His influence was largely ceremonial, a shadow of the substantial powers typically exercised by a governor. Chu Yu-pu's reign faced a significant challenge with the commencement of the Northern Expedition, an extensive campaign spearheaded by Chiang Kai-shek's Nationalist Revolutionary Army and Feng Yuxiang's Guominjun aimed at unifying China under a centralized rule. Despite his eventual demise in 1929, this chapter of Chu Yu-pu's life serves as a stark reminder of the fleeting nature of power and the volatility of alliances during the Warlord Era. HID09801242017 © 2023 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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