Item number: A1897

Year: AD 1908

Material: Brass

Size: 16.4 x 16.4 x 0.6 mm

Weight: 1.05 g

Manufactured by: Tianjin Central Mint

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This is a One-Cash coin issued by the Tianjin Central Mint in Guangxu 34th year (AD 1908), following the official adoption of the “One-Cash Copper Coin Standard”. The coin is made of brass and held the highest national status among copper coins at the time.

The obverse side of the coin features the character “總” (Zong), an abbreviation representing the Tianjin Central Mint, prominently positioned at the centre and encircled by a beaded border. The upper edge displays the reign title “光緒” (Guangxu), while the lower edge indicates the coin’s denomination as “一文” (One Cash). On the left and right sides, the sexagenary cycle year “戊申” is inscribed, corresponding to the year of issuance (AD 1908). This arrangement emphasises both the mint’s authority and the coin’s alignment with Qing Dynasty numismatic traditions.

The reverse side of the coin exhibits significant wear; however, the central motif remains identifiable as a coiled dragon nestled within swirling clouds, with a fireball prominently positioned at its centre.

In the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1906), the Ministry of Revenue, which managed the nation’s finances, discovered that the widespread minting of “Guangxu Yuanbao” coins by various provinces had caused a devaluation crisis. To address this, the Ministry intervened and revoked the minting rights of the provinces, ultimately retaining only six branch mints. According to Ministry regulations, the moulds used by local mints were uniformly issued by the Ministry, with the province’s name engraved in the centre of the reverse side to facilitate central quality inspections.

物件編號: A1897

年代: 公元 1908 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 16.4 x 16.4 x 0.6 mm

重量: 1.05 g

製造地: 天津造幣總廠

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

這是光緒34年(公元1908年)，正式通過的《擬定一文銅元制度》規範後，全國地位最高的天津造幣總廠發行之一文銅錢，其材質為黃銅。

錢幣正面的正中央是周圍被珠圈環繞，代表天津造幣總廠的簡寫「總」。上緣是年號「光緒」，下緣為錢幣面額「一文」，左右兩側是發行的干支年份「戊申」。

錢幣背面的磨損狀況較為嚴重，但尚能辨識出圖騰為一條藏身於雲朵之中的蟠龍，正中央有一枚火球。

光緒32年(公元1906年)，掌管全國財政的戶部發現，地方各省濫造「光緒元寶」造成貨幣貶值的危機。戶部為此介入和收回地方造幣權，最終僅保留六家分廠。按照戶部的規定，地方各廠使用的模具皆由戶部統一發放，唯有在背面正中央鐫刻省名，以便於中央考察品質。