Item number: M382

Year: AD 1841-1847

Material: Gold

Size: 28.1 x 28.1 mm

Provenance: MDC Monaco 2024

This is a “Thieu Tri Tongbao” medal issued during the reign of Emperor Thieu Tri of the Nguyen Dynasty in Vietnam between AD 1841 and AD 1847. Made of gold, the medal is designed in the style of a square-holed coin. The obverse is inscribed with the four Chinese characters “Thieu Tri Tongbao” (紹治通寶) arranged in a clockwise sequence from top, bottom, right, to left. “Thieu Tri” represents the emperor’s reign title, while “Tongbao” refers to a term for coinage that originated in China during the Tang Dynasty. This coin-like design was widely adopted in East Asian cultural spheres, including Vietnam, Korea, and Japan, reflecting the profound influence of Chinese culture on Vietnam.

The reverse side of the medal is inscribed with the Chinese characters “Er  Yi” (二儀) from top to bottom, symbolising the concept of “Tai Chi” (Yin and Yang) in East Asian cultural traditions. On the right side, representing the east, there is an image of a radiant sun, while on the left, representing the west, there is a smaller depiction of a full moon. These two symbols reinforce the philosophical concept of Yin and Yang. Surrounding these motifs are decorative clouds, further enhancing the medal’s intricate design and cultural symbolism.

The “Thieu Tri Tong Bao” medal bears a striking resemblance to coins, leading to its local designation in Vietnam as “Tien” and its designation by the French colonialists as the “Coin of Honour.” But there is still the possibility for precious metal-made “Tien” to be used as circulating currency. Currencies during the Nguyen Dynasty in Vietnam were heavily influenced by Chinese practises. Commonly circulated coins were made of cheap metals like copper or zinc, and typically featured square holes. Precious metals like gold or silver were often shaped into rectangular ingots called “Nen,” with the reign title printed in Chinese characters on top. In the 18th century, during the influx of Spanish and Mexican silver dollars into the Far East, Vietnam initially continued the practise of recasting them into “Nen,” before gradually introducing silver or gold “Tien.”

During the Nguyen Dynasty, gold and silver “Tiens” were typically minted by the royal court to honour and appease civil and military officials. Additionally, on special occasions such as New Year, the Song Shan Festival dedicated to elders, or the emperor’s 50th, 60th, and 70th birthdays, “Tien” coins were also awarded as commemorative and reward tokens. For square-holed “Tien” coins, recipients could directly thread a rope through the central hole for wearing, often adorned with tassells as decorations.

Before the Nguyen Dynasty ruled Vietnam, there may have been a similar system of awards and medals, but there is a lack of precise records about it. It wasn’t until the arrival of the French in Vietnam in AD 1840 that Europeans first documented a medal reward system resembling Western practises in the imperial court of Hue during the Nguyen Dynasty.

Based on the metal material, one can roughly determine the rank of the “Tien.” The highest rank, known as “Kim Tien” (Gold Tien), has four levels. In the early period of the Nguyen Dynasty, they were made of real gold, but later they gradually shifted to gold plating or basic metals. The next level, “Ngan Tien” (Silver Tien), sometimes follows European practises by indicating rank differences, but many “Silver Tiens” mainly display the regnal year of the emperor without specific rank distinctions.

物件編號: M382

年代: 公元 1841-1847 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 28.1 x 28.1 mm

來源: 摩納哥錢幣收藏 2024

這是一枚公元1841至1847年間，越南阮朝的紹治帝在位期間頒發的「紹治通寶」獎章。這枚獎章的材質為黃金，外觀為方孔錢樣式。獎章正面按照上、下、右、左順序，依序打印「紹治通寶」四個漢字。「紹治」是皇帝年號；「通寶」則是中國自唐朝以來採納的錢幣稱呼，此型制的錢幣為越南、韓國和日本等東亞文化圈採納，可見中華文化對越南的深遠影響。

獎章背面則有由上而下的漢字「二儀」，代表的意涵是東亞文化圈象徵陰陽的「太極」。獎章的右邊也就是東方的位置，有一顆綻放著光芒的太陽；左邊也就是西方的位置有一顆較為嬌小的滿月，這兩個圖騰也呼應著陰陽這個思想，周圍有許多的雲朵環繞裝飾。

「紹治通寶」外表和錢幣非常相似，該型制的獎章在越南當地稱作「錢(Tien)」，後續殖民越南的法國人稱其為「榮譽錢幣」。不過貴金屬製成的「錢」仍有用作流通貨幣的機會，若邊緣具有邊齒便是作為流通貨幣的最大特徵。阮朝的貨幣受到中國影響，民間流通的貨幣以銅或鋅等賤金屬鑄造，並且外觀以方孔錢為主。黃金或白銀等貴金屬，朝廷或商家則習慣將其製作成稱為「年 (Nen)」的矩形金塊，在上方以漢字打印年號。公元18世紀，西班牙和墨西哥銀元大舉湧入遠東之際，越南起先仍習慣將其重鑄為「年」，後續才逐漸出現銀或金質的「錢」。

阮朝宮廷以黃金和白銀鑄造「錢」的時機，多半是犒賞或安撫文武官的榮譽獎勵。除此之外在特殊慶典，例如：新年、主旨是敬老的頌神節或皇帝的50、60和70歲大壽上也會頒發「錢」作為紀念和犒賞。方孔錢型制的「錢」，受獎者能直接以繩子穿繫中央的孔洞配戴，並且往往搭配流蘇作裝飾。

儘管在阮朝統治越南以前，當地可能就有類似歐洲的獎章制度卻苦於缺乏確切紀錄。直到公元1840年，法國人抵達越南後，歐洲人才首次記載阮朝在順化的宮廷中，有一套類似西方的獎章獎勵機制。從金屬材質就能大致判斷「錢」的等級，最高等的「金錢(Kim Tien)」有四級，在阮朝早期以真金製成，到後期逐漸改為鍍金或基本金屬。次一等的「銀錢(Ngan Tien)」，有些效法歐洲標明等級差異外，更多的「銀錢」僅有標示皇帝年號。