1 Yuan (Pattern; proposed "Junk dollar"; Italian strike)

The 1929 'Junk dollar' pattern was produced at the Rome Mint in Italy during a period when the Nationalist government sought to standardize China's currency. Seeking modern, high-quality coinage to replace the inconsistent provincial issues, the Chinese authorities engaged the Italian firm Johnson to create master dies. These patterns were intended as potential replacements for the circulating Yuan, featuring the iconic design of a sailing junk on the reverse and a profile of Sun Yat-sen on the obverse.

The design was crafted by the renowned Italian medallist A. Motti, who aimed to achieve a sophisticated aesthetic through deeper relief and sharper detail than was typically possible with the equipment available in domestic Chinese mints at the time. Despite the technical prowess evidenced by the strike, the patterns were ultimately not adopted for mass production. The project foundered due to political shifts and concerns regarding the reliance on foreign minting for national currency, leaving these pieces as highly prized records of an ambitious numismatic modernization effort.