A Study of Two Sister Silver Coins and the Memories They Evoke —Honoring My Mother, Zhu Xiuyu, and My Two Elder Brothers through Prose and Poetry: A Chapter in Our Family's Coin-Collecting History《一對姊妹銀幣的研究與追憶 --以詩文紀念母親朱秀毓夫人與兩位兄長,記一段家族集幣史》

Wang, Lawrence K. 王抗曝 (2026), "A Study of Two Sister Silver Coins and the Memories They Evoke —Honoring My Mother, Zhu Xiuyu, and My Two Elder Brothers through Prose and Poetry: A Chapter in Our Family's Coin-Collecting History"《一對姊妹銀幣的研究與追憶 --以詩文 紀念母親朱秀毓夫人與兩位兄長,記一段家族集幣史》 , Global Humanities and Liberal Arts, Lenox Institute Press, MA, USA. 2026(10B); 39 pages. ABSTRACT: 本文以作者影像檔案中的兩枚錢幣為起點,比較「中外通寶・關平銀壹兩」雙龍式樣與1867年銘「上海壹兩」單龍及英國王室紋章式樣的歷史原型。兩者均與十九世紀六〇年代中英貿易及香港造幣事業有關,但所採銀兩標準、設計語言與製作背景有所不同。本文以「姊妹銀幣」作為文學性的並稱,不將其視為同年、同廠製作的正式配對,亦不以照片代替實物鑑定。在歷史考證之外,文章追憶 母親朱秀毓夫人 在戰亂中開啟的收藏興趣、兩位兄長的傳承,以及作者1949年來臺後與同學交換舊錢幣的童年生活,並以詩紀念家人的深情與付出。關鍵詞:姊妹銀幣;中外通寶;關平銀壹兩;上海壹兩;香港造幣廠;家族收藏史;生命書寫;朱秀毓;王東林;王清臨; ABSTRACT: Drawing on photographs of two coins in the author's image archive, this article compares the historical prototypes of the double-dragon design bearing the inscriptions "Zhong Wai Tong Bao" and "Kwan Ping One Tael of Silver" with the "Shanghai One Tael" design dated 1867, featuring a single dragon and the British royal arms. Both designs are associated with Sino-British trade and Hong Kong's minting activities during the 1860s, but differ in their silver-tael standards, visual language, and production backgrounds. The term "sister silver coins" is used as a literary designation, without implying that the coins constituted an official pair produced in the same year or at the same mint. Nor are photographs treated as a substitute for examining and authenticating the physical specimens. Alongside its historical inquiry, the article recalls the collecting interest that the author's mother, Zhu Xiuyu, began during the turmoil of war; its transmission through his two elder brothers; and his childhood experiences exchanging old coins and banknotes with classmates after arriving in Taiwan in 1949. A commemorative poem honors the love, dedication, and sacrifices of these family members. KEYWORDS: Sister silver coins; Zhong Wai Tong Bao; Kwan Ping One Tael of Silver; Shanghai One Tael; Hong Kong Mint; family collecting history; life writing; Zhu Xiuyu; Tony Tung-Lin Wang; Justin Ching-Lin Wang.