Item number: A2704

Year: AD 1796-1820 dated

Material: Brass

Size: 27.3 x 27.3 x 1.0 mm

Weight: 4.9 g

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This is a charm coin, likely privately cast and possibly imitating a “foundry-opening coin”. Its form follows the style of Qing dynasty square-holed round coinage, complete with outer rim and inner border. The obverse inscription imitates that of the “Jiaqing Tongbao”.

The obverse bears the inscription “Jiaqing Wannian” (“Jiaqing Ten Thousand Years”) in regular script, read vertically from top to bottom and right to left. The calligraphic style broadly resembles that of official “Jiaqing Tongbao” issues, although with subtle structural deviations—for instance, the component “加” in the character “嘉” is rendered more narrowly than in most authentic “Jiaqing Tongbao” specimens. Variants inscribed “Jiaqing Wannian” and “Daoguang Wannian” have been confirmed as foundry-opening coins. The auspicious phrase “ten thousand years” expresses wishes for the longevity of the sovereign and represents a commonly employed convention.

The reverse inscription, read from right to left, reads “Fu Shou” (“Blessing and Longevity”), a frequently encountered expression on charm coins. The inscriptions on both the obverse and reverse of this coin are worn and indistinct, though still generally recognisable. The reverse shows traces of abrasion caused by polishing, which would typically become less visible through circulation.

Charm coins, also known as “hua qian”, “hua zi qian”, or “auspicious inscription coins”, are copper castings not intended for monetary circulation. They were prevalent from the Ming and Qing dynasties through to the Republican period. These coins typically imitate the form of traditional square-holed round currency but replace monetary legends with auspicious phrases, historical figures, religious symbols, or folk imagery, expressing meanings such as blessing, protection, exorcism, or festivity. Largely produced by private workshops, charm coins exhibit diverse designs and variable craftsmanship, serving as tangible expressions of traditional cultural beliefs and folk practises. Some scholars advocate the unifying designation “folk coins” for this category.

Foundry-opening coins constitute a subset of charm coins. They were generally struck to commemorate the inauguration or resumption of operations at official mints and served dual purposes of ritual and celebration. These coins often bear inscriptions such as “foundry opening”, “trial strike”, or “auspiciousness”, symbolising smooth operations and prosperous outcomes. They were used in ceremonies to honour the furnace deity or distributed as tokens to officials and mint workers. Surviving examples are rare and often exhibit distinctive forms, making them significant artefacts for the study of numismatic craftsmanship and institutional minting practises.

物件編號: A2704

年代: 標示為公元 1796-1820 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 27.3 x 27.3 x 1.0 mm

重量: 4.9 g

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

這是一枚花錢，應為私鑄，或仿開爐錢。形制為清代方孔圓錢，外輪內廓俱全，錢文仿嘉慶通寶。

花錢的正面錢文為「嘉慶萬年」楷書，由上至下、由右至左直讀。字體風格大致模仿嘉慶通寶，惟結構稍異，如「嘉」字「加」旁較他枚嘉慶通寶更窄。有「嘉慶萬年」、「道光萬年」被確認為開爐錢者。吉語「萬年」祝君上長壽，或為常見作法。

花錢的背面錢文，由右至左為「福壽」，為花錢常見吉語。此錢正背面文字漫漶不清，差可辨別。錢背有擦痕，為打磨所致，通常會於流通中消隱。

花錢，又稱「花子錢」、「吉語錢」，是一類不作流通貨幣使用的銅質鑄幣，常見於明清及民國時期。其造型多仿傳統方孔圓錢，錢文則改為吉祥語、歷史人物、宗教圖像或民間故事，用以表達祝福、祈福、辟邪、喜慶等寓意。花錢的製作多出自民間，風格多樣，工藝繁簡不一，是傳統文化與信仰的物質表徵。有學者倡統名為「民俗錢」。

開爐錢，亦屬於花錢一類，通常於鑄錢局新設或開工時鑄造，具有紀念與祈福雙重功能。此類錢幣往往鑄有「開爐」、「試鑄」、「吉祥」等字樣，象徵鑄局運作順利、財源廣進，並用以祭祀爐神或分贈相關官員與工匠。開爐錢存世稀少，形制特殊，是研究錢幣工藝與官方鑄幣制度的重要實物資料。