1908 British Trade Dollar
£125.00
1908 British Trade Dollar in .900 silver. Obverse shows Standing Britannia with “ONE DOLLAR”; reverse carries Chinese and Jawi legends. Classic East Asian trade coin struck at the Bombay Mint.
Out of stock
The 1908 British Trade Dollar is part of the celebrated series of silver trade coins issued by Britain for circulation across China, Hong Kong, the Straits Settlements and wider East Asia. Struck in .900 silver, these large, beautifully engraved dollars were designed to compete with the Mexican 8 Reales and other regional trade currencies.
The 1908 issue was struck at the Bombay Mint, identifiable by the B mintmark, and is a desirable mid‑Edwardian date in the series.
The obverse features Standing Britannia, facing left, holding a trident and resting her left hand on a shield bearing the Union Flag. A merchant ship sails behind her, symbolising Britain’s maritime trade dominance. Around Britannia appears the denomination: ONE DOLLAR The design is enclosed within a bold Greek‑key border.
The reverse carries the multilingual trade inscriptions:
- Chinese characters: 壹圓 (“One Dollar”)
- Jawi script: ساتو رڠڬيت (“Satu Ringgit”)
These appear around a central floral motif, framed by an ornate decorative border typical of East Asian trade coinage.
The multilingual legends reflect the coin’s intended circulation across diverse Asian markets.
- Country: United Kingdom (Trade Coinage)
- Year: 1908
- Denomination: 1 Dollar (on obverse)
- Metal: .900 Silver
- Weight: 26.95g
- Diameter: 38.6mm
- Edge: Reeded
- Obverse: Standing Britannia; merchant ship; ONE DOLLAR
- Reverse: Chinese and Jawi legends
- Mint: Bombay Mint (B mintmark)
- Classification: British Trade Coinage
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