Item number: A2702

Year: AD 1906

Material: Copper

Size: 28.6 x 28.7 x 1.4 mm

Weight: 7.3 g

Manufactured by: Anqing Branch Mint of the Ministry of Revenue (Anhui Mint)

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This is a copper coin known as the “Great Qing Copper Coin” (Da Qing Tongbi), minted by the Anqing Branch Mint, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Revenue (formerly the Board of Revenue) of the Qing central government. It was struck in AD 1906 (Guangxu 32nd year), with a denomination of ten wen.

The obverse bears the coin legend “Great Qing Copper Coin” at the centre. The radical “moon” (月) in the character “Qing” (清) features an almost vertical initial stroke. Inside the small central disc, the provincial abbreviation “皖” for Anhui is engraved in intaglio; this disc is relatively small. A beaded inner circle separates the centre from the outer elements. Around the top rim, Manchu script reads, from left to right: “badarangga doro i aniyai weilehe”, which translates as “Made in the Guangxu era”. Flanking this are the Chinese cyclical characters “丙午”, indicating the coin was produced in the 32nd year of Guangxu, AD 1906. On the sides of the outer rim, from right to left, appear the characters “戶部” (Ministry of Revenue), indicating that the coin was struck from dies issued and authorised by the central mint. At the bottom rim, the inscription reads “Value Ten Wen”, meaning the coin was equivalent to ten traditional cash coins.

The reverse features a dragon motif symbolising the Qing imperial house. A swirling cloud pattern below and slightly to the right of centre resembles the number “6”, referred to as the “6-shaped cloud dragon”, with the flame motif beneath being notably short. Indicating that it is a variant of original pattern by Ministry of Revenue. A fine beaded circle encircles the centre. Along the top rim, from right to left, appears the legend “Guangxu Nian Zao” (Made in the Guangxu Era), matching the Manchu inscription on the obverse. Along the bottom rim is the English inscription “TAI-CHING-TI-KUO COPPER COIN”, meaning “Copper Coin of the Great Qing Empire”.

In AD 1900 (Guangxu 26), the Qing court, in an attempt to address the monetary imbalance caused by a silver shortage and excessive reliance on copper coinage, began minting copper coins modelled after the British Hong Kong one-cent coin. This marked a significant departure from traditional Chinese coinage, which used round coins with square holes. While the currency system remained bimetallic (silver and copper), the old cast coinage was gradually phased out.

Between AD 1904 and 1908 (Guangxu 30 to 34), mass production using machine-struck methods, combined with provincial over-minting and poor regulation, led to currency depreciation and interprovincial trade barriers. In response, the Qing government sought to standardise copper coin production. In AD 1905 (Guangxu 31), the Ministry of Revenue established the Central Mint and introduced the “Great Qing Copper Coin”, designed as a uniform national issue to be used across reigns. In AD 1906 (Guangxu 32), the Ministry of Revenue was reorganised as the Ministry of Finance (Duzhibu), centralising fiscal control. The “Regulations for the Rectification of Currency” were enacted, requiring all branch mints to use master dies issued by the Central Mint. In AD 1910 (Xuantong 2), the Qing court formally adopted the silver standard and designated copper coins as subsidiary currency, thereby decoupling them from traditional cash coin denominations. However, before these reforms could be fully implemented, the Qing dynasty collapsed in the Xinhai Revolution of AD 1911 (Xuantong 3).

In AD 1861 (Xianfeng 11), following the retreat of the Taiping forces, Zeng Guofan led the Hunan Army into Anqing. To support military logistics, armament facilities were gradually established. During the Tongzhi era (AD 1862–1875), a gunpowder bureau and workshops were constructed but later relocated outside the city due to safety concerns. In AD 1897 (Guangxu 23), the Governor of Anhui founded the Anhui Silver Coin Bureau on the site of the old gunpowder works, initiating silver coinage to alleviate currency shortages. This was formally approved. However, in AD 1899 (Guangxu 25), to curb uncontrolled minting across provinces, the Qing court ordered the closure of several mints, including that in Anhui.

In AD 1902 (Guangxu 28), the Anhui Governor established a copper coin bureau at the former silver mint site. In AD 1906 (Guangxu 32), the mint was renamed the Anqing Branch Mint under the Ministry of Finance. Minting was suspended in AD 1907 (Guangxu 33), and the facility was renamed the Anhui Arsenal for the production of military arms. A small batch of coins was produced again in AD 1909 (Xuantong 1), but minting soon ceased. In AD 1913 (Republic 2), the mint was rebuilt as the Anhui Mint. It continued until AD 1925 (Republic 14), when it was closed due to criticism over poor-quality coinage, high production costs, copper shortages, and efforts by the central government to reform the currency system.

The Guangxu Emperor, personal name Zaitian, was the eleventh emperor of the Qing dynasty and nephew of the Tongzhi Emperor. He ascended the throne in AD 1875 under the reign title Guangxu. Though nominally in power, actual authority remained with Empress Dowager Cixi for most of his reign. His rule coincided with a period of internal strife and external threats. In AD 1898, he supported reformers such as Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao in launching the Hundred Days’ Reform, an ambitious modernisation effort. The movement was suppressed by Cixi, and the emperor was confined to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity in Zhongnanhai until his death.

物件編號: A2702

年代: 公元 1906 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 28.6 x 28.7 x 1.4 mm

重量: 7.3 g

製造地: 度支部安慶造幣分廠

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

這是一枚由清廷中央度支部下轄之安慶造幣分廠，於光緒三十二年(公元1906)所鑄之「大清銅幣」。幣值十文。

銅幣正面中央錢文為錢名「大清銅幣」，「清」字「月」旁首撇近乎直筆，正中小圓臺上陰刻安徽省之簡稱「皖」，小圓臺較小。以細珠圈分隔，外圈上方環列滿文，由左至右為「ᠪᠠᡩᠠᠷᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᡳ ᠠᠨᡳᠶᠠᡳ ᠸᡝᡳᠯᡝᡥᡝ」(badarangga doro i aniyai weilehe)，即「光緒年造」。滿文兩側干支紀年「丙午」，指出製造年為光緒三十二年丙午年，即公元1906年。珠圈外圈左右側由右至左分列「戶部」，標示此銅幣為戶部製版及授權製造。外圈下方環列「當制錢十文」，標示幣值，即可兌舊通寶十枚。

錢背中央為象徵清帝室的團龍，正下偏右雲渦呈似「6」字，稱「6字雲龍」，正下偏右焰紋較短，為原祖模的改版。以細珠圈相隔，外圈上方由右至左環列「光緒年造」，與錢面滿文呼應。外圈下方環列「TAI–CHING–TI–KUO COPPER COIN」，即「大清帝國銅幣」。

清廷於光緒二十六年(公元1900年)，為救銀賤錢貴之弊，仿英屬香港「一仙」銅幣形制，始鑄銅元。一改帝制中國圜法，方孔圓錢逐漸退出流通，惟此時仍為銀銅複本位制。至光緒三十年間(公元1904至1908年)，由於機製量大，加以各省濫鑄積年，銅元充塞，致貶值與各省貿易壁壘，清廷始整頓銅元鑄行。光緒三十一年(公元1905年)，設戶部造幣總廠，更造「大清銅幣」，取其清室世代行用，不以新君更造之意。光緒三十二年(公元1906年)，改戶部為度支部，一統財權。訂定《整頓圜法章程》，飭令各分廠以戶部總廠統一製發之幣模為祖模。宣統二年(公元1910年)，確立銀本位，以銅元為輔幣，銅元不再與制錢掛勾。未及施行，宣統三年(公元1911年)，辛亥革命爆發，清王朝覆滅。

咸豐十一年(公元1861年)，曾國藩率湘軍退太平軍而入安慶，後陸續設軍械所以補後勤，同治年間(公元1862-1875年)設火藥局暨廠房，後因安全故而遷城外。光緒二十三年(公元1897年)，安徽巡撫於火藥局舊址設安徽銀元局，跟鑄銀元，「以濟錢荒」，獲准。光緒二十五年(公元1899年)，清廷為制止各省濫鑄亂象，裁撤多廠，安徽廠奉旨停辦。光緒二十八年(公元1902年)，安徽巡撫於銀元局舊址設銅元局以鑄銅元。光緒三十二年(公元1906年)，銅元局奉戶部令改名為度支部安慶造幣分廠。光緒三十三年(公元1907年)停機，改名安徽製造局以造軍械，宣統元年(公元1909年)復鑄少許，該年旋停。民國二年(公元1913年)重建安徽造幣廠，至民國十四年(公元1925年)，因鑄劣幣而遭抨擊、成本高昂、銅料缺乏、中央整頓幣制等原因，最終停產。

光緒帝，名載湉，為清朝第十一位皇帝，於公元1875年即位。在位期間名義上親政，但實際政權長期掌握在慈禧太后手中。其統治時期正值晚清內憂外患交迫之際，面對列強壓力與改革呼聲，光緒帝於公元1898年支持康有為、梁啟超等人推動戊戌變法，企圖進行制度革新，最終變法失敗，被慈禧幽禁於中南海瀛台直至去世。