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Ming Dynasty
Chongzhen Tongbao
(Manchu Script)
明
崇禎通寶
(背滿文)
Item number: A1677
Year: AD 1627-1644
Material: Brass
Size: 19.5 x 19.5 mm
Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2016
This is a square-holed coin bearing the reign title “Chongzhen” of the last emperor of the Ming Dynasty. What makes this Chongzhen Tongbao coin unique is the presence of a Manchu inscription on the reverse, “ᠪᠣᠣ ᠶᡠᠸᠠᠨ,” which refers to the minting unit “Bao Yuan Bureau.”
The coin is of a square-hole type, with the four characters “崇禎通寶” (Chongzhen Tongbao) engraved on the obverse in the sequence of top, bottom, right, and left. On the reverse, on the left and right sides, there are Manchu inscriptions: “ᠪᠣᠣ” (Bao), and “ᠶᡠᠸᠠᠨ” (Yuan), which collectively refer to the abbreviation of the “Bao Yuan Bureau,” the coinage office responsible for minting during the Qing dynasty under the Ministry of Works.
The origin and exact minting date of this Chongzhen Tongbao with Manchu inscriptions on the reverse have been the subject of extensive discussion and speculation within both academic and collecting circles. The most widely accepted theory in the past is that this type of Chongzhen Tongbao, featuring Manchu inscriptions on the reverse, was minted by the first Qing emperor, Shunzhi, after the Qing entered China. It is believed that he issued these coins to win over the Han people’s support by continuing to use the reign title of the previous Ming dynasty’s Chongzhen era.
However, the above argument is countered by different pieces of evidence. The first piece of evidence is that the first appearance of Manchu script on the reverse side of coins during the reign of Emperor Shunzhi occurred in the year AD 1657, which is a considerable time after the Manchus entered the Central Plains in AD 1644. During this period, Shunzhi Tongbao coins were primarily modelled after Ming Dynasty coins, which featured a blank reverse or inscribed Chinese characters, rather than Manchu script. Furthermore, the Manchu script seen on the reverse of Shunzhi Tongbao coins minted from AD 1657 onwards shows a distinct difference in style compared to the Manchu script found on Chongzhen Tongbao coins.
Therefore, some scholars have speculated based on the Manchu calligraphy that the Manchu script on this Chongzhen Tongbao coin resembles the style seen on coins minted after the Qianlong era, suggesting that it may date to the period between the reigns of Qianlong and Guangxu, when privately minted coins circulated among the people. However, the true nature of the coin remains uncertain and requires further evidence for corroboration and confirmation.