Item number: A2624

Year: AD 1285-1294

Material: Bronze

Size: 21.0 x 21.0 mm

Provenance:

1. Spink 2023

2. Dr. Werner Burger Collection

This is a bronze coin issued in the 22nd year of the Zhiyuan reign (AD 1285), during the rule of Kublai Khan, the founding emperor of the Yuan dynasty, which had by then conquered the Southern Song and formally established the dynastic title “Great Yuan.” The coin, inscribed “Zhiyuan Tongbao” (至元通寶), was cast in accordance with the long-standing tradition of previous Chinese dynasties of issuing currency bearing the reigning emperor’s era name.

The coin follows the typical square-holed cash coin format. Based on size, the series was produced in three denominations: one-cash, two-cash, and three-cash. The specimen held in this collection measures 21 mm in diameter, corresponding to the one-cash denomination.

On the obverse, the four Chinese characters “Zhiyuan Tongbao” (至元通寶) are engraved in regular script with stylistic elements reminiscent of clerical script, arranged sequentially in the order of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse is plain, without any inscription or design.

In addition to the Chinese-character version, the Zhiyuan Tongbao series was also produced in a Mongolian-script version. Like its counterpart, the Mongolian edition was issued in multiple denominations based on size, including one-cash, two-cash, and three-cash.

Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan dynasty, was a grandson of Genghis Khan and the fourth son of Tolui. In AD 1251, Kublai was appointed to administer the former Jin dynasty territories in northern China on behalf of the Mongol Empire. There, he established the Jinlianchuan Secretariat (金蓮川幕府) and began adopting Chinese administrative practises. He also participated in several military campaigns against the Southern Song.

In AD 1260, following the death of his elder brother Möngke Khan during the siege of Diaoyu Fortress in Sichuan, the position of Great Khan of the Mongol Empire became vacant. Kublai, then commanding the southern front, returned to Shangdu (Upper Capital) and declared himself Great Khan. However, his younger brother Ariq Böke, with the backing of several Mongol aristocrats, claimed the title in the old capital Karakorum. A protracted civil war ensued, ending in Kublai’s victory, though it ultimately led to the fragmentation of the Mongol Empire.

Subsequently, in AD 1264, Kublai shifted the empire’s political centre to China proper, adopting the dynastic title “Great Yuan” in imitation of earlier Chinese imperial traditions. By AD 1279, he had completed the conquest of the Southern Song, bringing an end to the long-standing division of the Central Plains.

物件編號: A2624

年代: 公元 1285-1294 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 21.0 x 21.0 mm

來源:

1. 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

2. 布威納博士舊藏

這是一枚至元22年(公元1285年) 起，彼時已經消滅南宋並且確立國名為「大元」的元世祖忽必烈，效仿過往中原王朝以年號發行錢幣的慣習，所鑄造之「至元通寶」青銅錢。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢。錢幣按照尺寸差異，分別擁有小平、折二和折三三種面額。本館收藏直徑落在21mm，其對應的面額為小平錢。錢幣正面以帶有隸書韻味的楷書書法，按照上、下、右、左的順序，以漢字鐫刻「至元通寶」四字。錢幣背面則是光背，沒有任何圖案或文字。

除了漢字的版本，至元通寶尚有蒙古文版型，同樣也是按照尺寸差異，分別擁有小平、折二和折三等面額。

元世祖忽必烈為成吉思汗的孫子，托雷的第四子。公元1251年，忽必烈先是被委任管理蒙古帝國於金朝故地的華北地區，忽必烈建立「金蓮川幕府」行政班底學習漢人的管理制度，並且多次參與對於南宋的軍事行動。

公元1260年，長兄蒙哥命喪於征討南宋的四川釣魚城一役，蒙古大汗的寶座出現空缺，於南宋前線指揮作戰的忽必烈回到上都，並且就地自立為蒙古大汗。但是在故都哈拉和林其幼弟阿里不哥獲得其他貴族支持。忽必烈和阿里不哥歷經內戰後，最終由忽必烈勝出卻也導致大蒙古國的分裂。此後於公元1264年，以漢地作為統治中心的忽必烈效仿漢制取國名為「大元」，並且於公元1279年正式消滅南宋，結束中原的分裂格局。