Item number: A2765

Year: AD 1902-1905

Material: Copper

Size: 23.1 x 23.0 x 1.1 mm

Weight: 3.6 g

Manufactured by: Board of Revenue (Peiyang Silver Coin Mint Bureau), Tianjing

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2019

This is a machine-struck copper coin denominated as “Five Cash,” issued under the name of the Board of Revenue (Hu Poo) by the Beiyang Mint between AD 1902 and 1905.

The obverse of the coin features a five-clawed dragon spitting a fireball within a beaded circle. As the dragon’s body is not coiled and its body is arranged below the head, this design is also referred to as a “sitting dragon.” On either side of the outer rim are six-petal floral ornaments. Above the circle is the inscription “HU POO” in Wade-Giles romanisation, indicating the Board of Revenue; below is “FIVE CASH,” representing the denomination. The coin’s rim is ringed and decorated with a pattern of fine square teeth.

The reverse also bears a beaded circle, enclosing the four Chinese characters “Guangxu Yuanbao” (光緒元寶) in regular script. The centre is blank, with no character or symbol. Outside the circle, the design mirrors the obverse, with five-petal floral ornaments on each side. Above is the Manchu inscription “ᠪᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᠶᡠᠸᠠᠨ ᠪᠣᠣ”, translating to “Guangxu Yuanbao”; below is the denomination “當制錢五文” in Chinese, meaning “equivalent to five standard cash coins.” The rim of the reverse is also ringed and adorned with fine square teeth. The horizontal stroke at the bottom of the character “五” (five) is notably elongated, hence the nickname “long horizontal five.”

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 1902 (Guangxu 28th year), Yuan Shikai, serving as Governor of Zhili and Minister of the Beiyang region, appointed Zhou Xuexi, Director-General of the Kaiping Mining Bureau, to establish the “Beiyang General Mint for Silver Coins.” This mint began producing coins such as “Zero-Use One Cash” and “Guangxu Tongbao,” bearing the “Beiyang” inscription. Later, coins without the “Beiyang” mark, titled “Board of Revenue Guangxu Yuanbao,” were minted. Although named a silver mint, it primarily produced copper coins. In AD 1906 (Guangxu 32nd year), the Board of Revenue reorganised and renamed the mint as the “Zhili Board of Revenue Mint, Northern Branch.” In AD 1907 (Guangxu 33rd year), following the Ministry’s restructuring into the Ministry of Finance, the mint was renamed “Tientsin Mint of the Ministry of Finance.” In the early years of the Xuantong reign (AD 1909), minting rights were centralised under the imperial government, and the Beiyang Mint ceased production.

Emperor Guangxu, personal name Aisin Gioro Zaitian, was the eleventh emperor of the Qing dynasty and the nephew of the Tongzhi Emperor. He ascended the throne in AD 1875 with the reign title “Guangxu.” Although he nominally held power, actual control remained in the hands of Empress Dowager Cixi for most of his reign. His rule coincided with a period of internal turmoil and external threats in late Qing China. In response to growing calls for reform, Emperor Guangxu supported Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao in launching the Hundred Days’ Reform in AD 1898, aiming to modernise state institutions. However, the reform failed, and he was placed under house arrest by Empress Dowager Cixi at the Yingtai Pavilion in Zhongnanhai, where he remained until his death.

物件編號: A2765

年代: 公元 1902-1905 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 23.1 x 23.0 x 1.1 mm

重量: 3.6 g

製造地: 北洋銀元局，天津

來源: 大城郵幣社 2019

這是一枚光緒二十八年三十一年間(公元1902-1905年)，北洋銀元局遂以戶部名義發行的「光緒元寶」機鑄銅元，面額為「五文」。

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」。珠圈外圍兩側各分飾六瓣花，上方環列「HU POO 」，即以威妥瑪拼音標示之「戶部」；下方則環列面額「FIVE CASH」，即「五文」。幣緣為環，內列細方齒。

錢幣背面亦以珠圈相隔，珠圈內為漢文楷書「光緒元寶」四字，正中央無文字或記號。珠圈外圍兩側各分飾五瓣花，上方環列滿文「ᠪᠠᡩᠠᡵᠠᠩᡤᠠ ᡩᠣᡵᠣ ᠶᡠᠸᠠᠨ ᠪᠣᠣ」，即「光緒元寶」；下方則以漢字環列面額「當制錢五文」。幣緣亦為環，內列細方齒。「五」字底橫較長，故稱「長橫五」。

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。

光緒二十八年(公元1902年)，袁世凱任直隸總督兼北洋大臣，任直隸開平礦物局總辦周學熙，建「北洋鑄造銀元總局」，開鑄面文有「北洋」字樣之「零用一文」、「光緒通寶」，其後鑄有無北洋字樣之「戶部光緒元寶」。名為銀元局，實則造銅元為多。光緒三十二年(公元1906年)，戶部裁併鑄幣廠，更名「直隸戶部造幣北分廠」。光緒三十三年(公元1907年)，戶部改制度支部，是故造幣廠更名為「度支部造幣津廠」。宣統初年(公元1909年)，鑄幣權收歸中央，北洋銀元局停鑄。

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。