Item number: A2157

Year: AD 1854-1857

Material: Brass

Size: 46.5 x 46.1 x 3.5 mm

Weight: 38.95 g

Manufactured by: Bao Gong Bureau

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This is a Xianfeng Chungbao coin, issued by the Bao Gong Bureau responsible for minting in Gansu Province during the 4th to 7th years of the Xianfeng reign (AD 1854–1857). The denomination of the coin is 50 Cash.

The coin has the typical square-hole design, with its surface coated in a red patina. On the obverse, the inscription “咸豐重寶” is carved in Chinese characters, arranged in the order of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse features the denomination “當五十” inscribed on the top and bottom sides in Chinese characters, while the left and right sides bear the Manchu inscription “ᠪᠣᡠ ᡤᡠᠩ” (Bao Gong), indicating the minting location.

In the 3rd year of the Xianfeng reign (AD 1853), the successful capture of Nanjing by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom caused a significant reduction in the Qing court’s tax revenue. Additionally, copper supplies from Yunnan were disrupted, leading to a severe shortage of materials for minting coins. To make matters worse, the Qing government faced immense military expenditures to suppress the Taiping rebellion. Consequently, on May 18th of the 4th year of Xianfeng (AD 1854), the court issued an edict instructing local officials to promptly establish mints in various regions to meet the financial demands.

The history of the Bao Gong Bureau dates to the 6th year of the Kangxi reign (AD 1667), when it was established to oversee the minting operations of Gansu Province, which had just been separated from Shaanxi. During the Xianfeng era, amid a nationwide fiscal crisis, the Bao Gong Bureau minted high-denomination coins, including 1,000-cash, 100-cash, and 50-cash issues. However, due to widespread counterfeiting and continuous depreciation, the production of these large-denomination coins was discontinued in the 7th year of Xianfeng (AD 1857). The Bao Gong Bureau continued to operate until the 3rd year of the Tongzhi reign (AD 1864), when it was ultimately shut down by the Qing court due to a lack of raw materials.

物件編號: A2157

年代: 公元 1854-1857 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 46.5 x 46.1 x 3.5 mm

重量: 38.95 g

製造地: 寶鞏局

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

這是一枚咸豐4至7年(公元1854至1857年)，負責甘肅省鑄錢事務的寶鞏局發行之「咸豐重寶」，面額為五十文。

錢幣外觀為典型的方孔錢，通體包裹著紅色包漿。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左的順序，依序鐫刻漢字「咸豐重寶」。錢幣背面的上下兩側以漢字鐫刻面額「當五十」，其左右兩側標示鑄造地點的滿文「ᠪᠣᡠ ᡤᡠᠩ」(寶鞏)。

咸豐3年(公元1853年)，隨著太平天國成功攻陷南京，使得清廷一來賦稅收入減少，二來雲南的銅礦被迫中斷，使得國庫用以鑄造錢幣的原料極度缺乏。雪上加霜的是，清廷為盡早評定太平天國之亂尚需要龐大的軍事開銷應對。因此在咸豐4年(公元1854年) 5月18日，朝廷向各地方官員下諭，盡快於各地成立鑄錢局以應付開支。

寶鞏局的歷史能追溯到康熙6年(公元1667年)，主要負責剛剛從陝西劃分出來的甘肅省鑄幣業務。進入咸豐年間面對全國性的財政危機，寶鞏局也先後鑄造當千、百、五十等大面額的錢幣。不過隨著後續盜鑄增加和錢幣不斷貶值的結果，上述大面額的錢幣在咸豐7年(公元1857年) 停鑄。寶鞏局則持續營運至同治3年(公元1864年)，方才因為缺乏原物料遭到朝廷裁撤。