Item number: A2764

Year: AD 1900

Material: Copper

Size: 22.1 x 22.0 x 1.1 mm

Weight: 3.6 g

Manufactured by: Fookien Official Mint Bureau, Fuzhou

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2019

This coin, denominated as “5 Wen” and inscribed with “Guangxu Yuanbao,” was machine-struck in AD 1900 (Guangxu 26th year) by the Fujian Official Mint Bureau. Its issuance was prompted by the success of Western-style copper coinage in the neighbouring province of Guangdong. Upon petitioning by Xu Yingkui, the Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang, and subsequent approval by the Ministry of Revenue, the mint commenced production of copper coins bearing a face value of five wen.

The obverse of the coin features a five-clawed dragon facing forward with a fireball emerging from its mouth, enclosed within a beaded circle. As the dragon’s body is not coiled and is positioned directly beneath its head, it is referred to as a “seated dragon.” The tail fin extends into the beaded border, and this particular style is thus known as the “long-tailed dragon.” Flanking the beaded circle on each side are stylised five-petalled floral motifs. The upper legend reads “FOO-KIEN” in Wade-Giles romanisation, indicating “Fujian,” while the lower legend reads “5 CASH,” denoting the face value. The coin’s rim is circular with fine square-toothed edging.

The reverse also uses a beaded circle to separate the inner and outer legends. Inside the circle, the inscription “Guangxu Yuanbao” is rendered in Chinese regular script, while the centre features the Manchu text “ᠪᠣᠣ ᡶᡠ” (boo fu), indicating the mint mark “Bao Fu” (Treasure-Fu) of the Fujian bureau. The outer circle also bears floral ornaments on each side. The upper legend reads “Struck by the Fujian Official Mint” in Chinese characters, and the lower legend states “Face value: five wen per coin.” The rim mirrors the obverse with fine square-toothed edging.

As fluctuations in silver prices intensified and the supply of traditional cash coins became insufficient, various provinces petitioned to mint new coins, including copper coins. The “Guangxu Yuanbao” was first minted in AD 1900 (Guangxu 26th year) at the Guangdong Mint, adopting modern minting technology inspired by the Hong Kong copper cent, aiming to replace the long-standing hand-cast, square-holed cash coins. The initial circulation of copper coins was met with enthusiasm, alleviating the coin shortage. Neighbouring provinces such as Fujian and Jiangsu quickly followed. In the following year, the Board of Revenue decreed that all provinces were to follow the minting standards set by Guangdong, Fujian, and Jiangsu.

However, within a few years, the market was oversupplied with debased and low-quality coins, leading to currency depreciation. In AD 1904 (Guangxu 30th year), the Qing court resolved to reclaim the right to mint currency and unify the national monetary system, aiming to put an end to the disorder in copper coin issuance. In the following year, the Board of Revenue completed the construction of a central mint. Newly issued coins in many provinces were changed to “Great Qing Copper Coins,” but this reform had limited success, and the original “Guangxu Yuanbao” continued to circulate in some regions until the end of the Qing dynasty.

In AD 1894 (Guangxu 20th year), local merchants in Fuzhou obtained official permission and jointly funded the establishment of the privately operated “Fujian Yuan Coin Bureau.” In AD 1900 (Guangxu 26th year), the bureau was reorganised into the state-run “Fujian Official Silver Bureau,” also known as the “Southern Mint” due to its location in southern Fuzhou. It expanded into a facility with twelve workshops, responsible for minting both silver and copper coins for provincial circulation. The copper coinage was administered under a specialised division known as the “Fujian Copper Coin Bureau.” The denominations initially produced by the Fujian bureau under the “Guangxu Yuanbao” series included 5 wen, 10 wen, and 20 wen. In later years, only the 10 wen and 20 wen coins continued to be issued. The 5 wen coin, having a shorter production period, exists in fewer varieties. These include versions in red copper and white copper (copper-nickel alloy), and stylistically can be classified into “long-tailed dragon” and “short-tailed dragon” types.

Emperor Guangxu, born Zaitian, was the eleventh emperor of the Qing dynasty and the nephew of the Tongzhi Emperor. He ascended the throne in AD 1875 under the regnal title “Guangxu.” Though nominally the reigning monarch, real power remained in the hands of Empress Dowager Cixi for most of his reign. His rule coincided with a period of internal strife and foreign pressure in late Qing China. In AD 1898, he supported the reformist efforts of Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao in launching the Hundred Days’ Reform, aiming to modernise the state’s institutions. The movement ultimately failed, and Guangxu was placed under house arrest in the Sea Terrace of Zhongnanhai by Cixi, where he remained until his death.

物件編號: A2764

年代: 公元 1900 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 22.1 x 22.0 x 1.1 mm

重量: 3.6 g

製造地: 福建官局，福州

來源: 大城郵幣社 2019

這是一枚光緒26年(公元1900年)，受到相鄰廣東省成功發行西式銅元的鼓舞，時任閩浙總督的許應騤上奏朝廷得到戶部同意後，由福建官銀局生產面額「五文」的「光緒元寶」機鑄銅元。

錢幣正面以珠圈相隔，珠圈內是一隻口吐火球的五爪蟠龍，由於其身軀並未盤繞，並陳於龍首下方，也稱「坐龍」，龍尾鰭骨延伸至珠圈，故稱「長尾龍」。珠圈外圍兩側各分飾五瓣花，上方環列「FOO-KIEN 」，即以威妥瑪拼音標示之「福建」；下方則環列面額「5 CASH」，即「五文」。幣緣為環，內列細方齒。

錢幣背面亦以珠圈相隔，珠圈內為楷書「光緒元寶」四字，正中央自左而右拼讀是滿文「ᠪᠣᠣ ᡶᡠ」，即紀局「寶 福」。珠圈外圍兩側亦各分飾五瓣花，上方環列「福建官局造」；下方則以漢字環列面額「每枚當錢五文」。幣緣亦為環，內列細方齒。

隨著白銀價格劇烈波動及制錢供應不足，各地紛請鑄新制錢乃至銅元。「光緒元寶」最初於光緒二十六年(公元1900年)由廣東造幣廠首鑄，引進西式機器製幣技術，仿香港銅仙，鑄行銅元，以取代傳統手工鑄造與沿用已久的方孔圓錢制度。初鑄銅元大受歡迎，一緩錢荒，鄰省福建、將塑很快跟進。次年，戶部諭令各省按廣東、福建、江蘇造幣廠成例跟鑄。數年間，供過於求，劣幣泛濫，成色貶值。光緒三十年(公元1904年)清廷決意收回鑄幣權，統一全國幣制，終結銅元亂象。次年戶部造幣總廠建成，諸省所鑄新幣多改鑄「大清銅幣」，但收效甚微，原「光緒元寶」在部分省份則延續使用至清末。

光緒20年(公元1894年)，地方商人獲得官方許可後，集資在福州成立民營「福建銀元局」。光緒26年(公元1900年)，「福建銀元局」改制為官辦「福建官銀局」，因位於福州城南，又稱「南局」，擴張為擁有十二個廠房的規模，負責鑄造省內流通的銀元和銅元。所鑄銅元設專屬管理，稱「福建銅幣局」。福建官銀局鑄造之「光緒元寶」銅元，起先有「五文、十文、二十文」，後僅有「十文、二十文」兩種面額。「五文」因鑄期短，版別較單純，以幣材分有紅銅、白銅；以版式分有長尾龍、短尾龍。

光緒帝名載湉，是清朝第十一位皇帝，同治帝之侄，於公元1875年即位，年號光緒。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。