Item number: A2696

Year: AD 1821-1850

Material: Copper

Size: 24.4 x 24.5 x 1.1 mm

Weight: 4.5 g

Manufactured by: Bao Yi Bureau, Ili

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2014

This is a copper coin cast by the Bao Yi Bureau in Northern Xinjiang during the Daoguang reign (AD 1821–1850), inscribed with the characters “Daoguang Tongbao”. It is denominated as one wen and is also referred to as a “xiaoping qian” or small-denomination coin.

The coin follows the typical Han Chinese form of a round coin with a square hole. Due to its age and the limited quality of workmanship, the inscription is worn and difficult to distinguish. The obverse bears the Chinese inscription “Daoguang Tongbao”, which is to be read from top to bottom and left to right. The reverse bears the Manchu inscription “ᠪᠣᠣ ᡳ”, transliterated as “Bao Yi”, referring to the Ili Mint.

In AD 1775, the fortieth year of the Qianlong reign, following the Qing conquest of the Dzungar Khanate, the Qing court, seeking to stabilise the economy and military administration of the newly acquired territories, modelled a new mint on the interior system and established the Bao Yi Mint in Huiyuan, Ili, following the earlier establishment of mints in Southern Xinjiang. Since AD 1760, the Qing government had operated the Yarkand Mint, which produced high-purity copper coins modelled after the “pul” coins of the Dzungars. These coins circulated widely in the region and became known as “red coins”. Coins cast by the Bao Yi Mint followed Han Chinese coinage forms. Although the copper content was slightly lower than that of the Yarkand coins, it remained higher than that of coins from the interior provinces. The dark red colour of the coins aided in local acceptance and helped maintain monetary credibility and circulation. Coins bearing the inscription “Qianlong Tongbao” cast by the Bao Yi Mint were among the few Xinjiang coins accepted in interior China and were favoured by merchants.

In AD 1871, the tenth year of the Tongzhi reign, Russian forces invaded and occupied Ili. The Bao Yi Mint was closed, and the Russians seized and extracted large quantities of copper coins, most of which were transported to Russia and melted down for military and industrial purposes. Russian banknotes were thereafter circulated in Xinjiang. Consequently, coins produced by the Bao Yi Mint are now extremely rare. Although Russian forces later withdrew, the mint was never re-established. The disappearance of Bao Yi coinage not only resulted in a shortage of circulating currency but also disrupted the existing economic system and weakened the Qing court’s foundation for future governance in Xinjiang.

The Daoguang Emperor, named Minning, was the eighth emperor of the Qing dynasty and reigned from AD 1820 to 1850, a period marked by increasing internal unrest and external threats. Upon his accession, he promoted frugality and initiated anti-corruption measures, aiming to reform officialdom and alleviate fiscal pressures. However, entrenched bureaucratic corruption limited the effectiveness of his efforts. During his reign, the empire faced widespread social unrest in the south and frequent uprisings by secret religious sects, including the Tianli Sect and the Jahangir Rebellion, while the northwestern frontiers also faced repeated challenges. Meanwhile, foreign encroachment intensified. The British opium trade posed a severe threat to Chinese society and the economy, ultimately leading to the First Opium War (AD 1840–1842). The Qing army was defeated, and the empire was forced to sign the Treaty of Nanking, ceding Hong Kong and opening several treaty ports. Although deeply shaken, the Daoguang Emperor responded conservatively and failed to effect fundamental change.

物件編號: A2696

年代: 公元 1821-1850 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 24.4 x 24.5 x 1.1 mm

重量: 4.5 g

製造地: 寶伊局，伊犁

來源: 大城郵幣社 2014

這是一枚由北疆寶伊局，於道光年間(公元1821-1850)所鑄之「道光通寶」。幣值一文，亦稱「小平錢」。

銅錢形制為中國漢地典型的方孔圓錢，由於年代久遠，工藝不精，文字漫漶，難以識別。錢幣正面錢文為漢字「道光通寶」，由上至下、由左至右對讀。

錢幣背面錢文為滿文「ᠪᠣᠣ ᡳ 」，即「寶伊」，為伊犁鑄錢局之意。

乾隆四十年(公元1775年)，清廷攻滅準噶爾汗國後，為了穩定新領地經濟與軍需，仿效內地寶局制度，而繼南疆錢局後，另行在新疆伊犁惠遠城設立寶伊局，專責鑄造制錢，以應對北疆軍政經費與維持地區貨幣流通。自乾隆二十五年(公元1760年)以來，清廷設葉爾羌局仿準噶爾普爾錢所鑄的高純度銅錢，即「紅錢」，於當地流通廣泛。寶伊局所鑄錢形制一如漢錢，惟銅質略低，但仍高於漢地，色澤暗紅，以利於當地民眾接受，並維持貨幣的信用與流通。寶伊局所鑄乾隆通寶，為少數可於內地行用之新疆製幣，商賈樂用。同治十年(公元1871年)，俄軍出兵佔領伊犁後，寶伊局關閉，俄方徵收並搜刮銅錢，多數被運往俄國本土熔解為軍工原料，而在新疆行用俄鈔，因此寶伊局鑄錢如今存世稀少。後俄雖撤軍，但寶伊局再未復設。另一方面，寶伊局所鑄之錢流失，不僅造成錢荒，破壞了原有經濟體系，也動搖了日後清廷在新疆的治理基礎。

道光帝，名旻寧，是清朝第八位皇帝，於公元1820年至1850年在位，為清代面對內憂外患加劇的轉折時期之一。他登基後力行節儉，推行廉政，希望整飭吏治、緩解財政困難，然官場腐敗根深蒂固，收效有限。道光帝在位期間，面對南方社會動盪與秘密宗教勢力頻繁興起，先後爆發天理教與張格爾叛亂，西北邊防亦屢受壓力。此外，外國勢力逐漸進逼，英國販運鴉片嚴重危害中國社會與經濟，最終引發第一次鴉片戰爭（公元1840–1842），清軍敗北，被迫簽訂《南京條約》，割讓香港並開放通商口岸。道光帝深感震動但仍保守自處，未能根本改變局勢。