Item number: A2306

Year: AD 1847-1883

Material: Copper

Size: 23.0 x 23.3 x 0.7 mm

Weight: 2.75 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a “Tu Duc Tongbao” coin cast during the reign of Emperor Tu Duc, the fourth ruler of Vietnam’s Nguyễn Dynasty, who reigned from AD 1847 to AD 1883. The coin is made of copper.

The coin features a square-holed design, heavily influenced by neighbouring China’s coinage style. On the obverse, the four Chinese characters Tu Duc Tongbao (嗣德通寶) are inscribed in the order of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side of the coin bears the Chinese characters “六文” (Six Cash) engraved on the right and left, indicating that the coin had a value equivalent to six zinc small-denomination coins.

During the reign of Emperor Tu Duc, Vietnam began to face increasing encroachment from the south by the French, marking a crucial turning point in Vietnam’s modern history. In July AD 1883, shortly after Emperor Tu Duc’s passing, the Nguyen Dynasty plunged into internal turmoil. Seising this opportunity, France escalated its military actions against Vietnam, leading to a conflict with Vietnam’s suzerain, the Qing Empire, in December of the same year. This conflict culminated in the Sino-French War, which lasted until AD 1887. Despite several victories for the Qing forces in Vietnam, they were ultimately forced to acknowledge French control over Vietnam through diplomatic negotiations.

As a result, Vietnam became a colony of France. The royal family of Nguyen Dynasty became puppets of foreign powers, a situation that persisted until the last emperor, Bao Dai, abdicated in AD 1945.

物件編號: A2306

年代: 公元 1847-1883 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 23.0 x 23.3 x 0.7 mm

重量: 2.75 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚公元1847至1883年間，越南阮朝第四任統治者嗣德帝在位期間鑄造的「嗣德通寶」，材質為紅銅。

錢幣形制為深受鄰國中國影響的方孔錢造型。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左順序，依序以漢字鐫刻「嗣德通寶」四字。錢幣背面的右側和左側以漢字鐫刻「六文」，代表這枚錢幣能兌換六枚鋅質的小面額硬幣。

嗣德帝在位期間，越南開始受到自國境南方而來的法國步步蠶食，見證越南近代歷史的重要轉捩點。公元1883年7月，阮朝在嗣德帝駕崩不久便陷入內鬨，法國順勢擴大對越南的軍事行動，並在同年12月跟越南的宗主國清帝國爆發衝突。這場中法戰爭持續至公元1887年，即便清軍在越南戰場獲得多起勝利，最終於外交談判上仍被迫承認法國對於越南的控制。自此越南淪為法國的殖民地，阮朝皇室也淪為外國的傀儡，直到末代皇帝保大於公元1945年宣布退位為止。