Lot 4547

Description

China, Republic, general Issue, silver dollar, dated year 10, (1921), (27.13 g), obv. President Hsu Shih-chang partly to left in civilian dress, rev. pavilion with date above in Chinese, (KM.676 & Kann 676). Toned, uncirculated and very rare.

Hsu Shih Chang, was born on October 20, 1855 and died June 5, 1939. He was the President of the Republic of China (Beijing government) from October 10, 1918 to June 2, 1922. His election as president was largely engineered by Duan Qirui and his Anhui clique. He was chosen because he was a civilian yet had close ties to the Beiyang Army and was neutral to both its Zhili and Anhui cliques. Lacking any military power of his own, he had to play Duan, Zhili leader Cao Kun, and Fengtian leader Zhang Zuolin against each other to stay in power.

He held a massive celebration in Beijing for China's victory in World War I on 18 November 1918, however he brought troops into the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. His presidency lasted the longest during the warlord era. He was also the only non-acting president of the Beiyang government to be a civilian.