Item number: A2780

Year: AD 1742-1752

Material: Brass

Size: 24.6 x 24.6 x 0.9 mm

Weight: 3.55 g

Manufactured by: Bao Chang Bureau, Jiangxi Province

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2019

This is a coin issued during the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty, re-minted between AD 1742 and 1752 (Qianlong Years 7 to 17) by the Baochang Mint, located in Nanchang Prefecture, Jiangxi Province. It is a reproduction of the “Qianlong Tongbao” coins originally cast during the same period. The coin has a standard weight of 1.2 qian (approximately 4.3 grams) and a nominal value of one wen, commonly referred to as a “xiaopingqian” (small-denomination coin).

The coin adopts the traditional round shape with a square hole characteristic of the Han cultural sphere. The minting technique is relatively coarse, and the script appears blurred. The obverse bears the inscription “Qianlong Tongbao” in regular script, read from top to bottom and right to left. Distinctive features include the “通” character’s radical “マ” rendered as “ㄗ”, with the walking radical consisting of two dots and a turning stroke; the “寶” character’s “缶” radical is written as “尔”. None of the four characters connect to the rim or the inner square. The “乾” character’s “乙” radical appears with an upper stroke longer than or nearly equal to the lower stroke, and the outer rim is relatively wide. This style corresponds to one of the die types used by the Ministry of Revenue’s Baoquan Mint between AD 1740 and 1745, and is classified as “Quan Shou Chang” under the “Hand-type coin” category in Japanese numismatic typology.

The reverse bears the Manchu inscription “ᠪᠣᡠ ᠴᠠᠩ”, with “Bao” on the left and “Chang” on the right. The initial stroke of the “Bao” character is rendered as a curve rather than a sharp angle, and its final stroke does not extend to the left. The left side of the “Bao” character appears to touch the rim, while the “Chang” character on the right seems to be connected to both the hole and the rim.

Coinage in Jiangxi during the Qing dynasty began in AD 1647 (the fourth year of Shunzhi), when the central government authorised the establishment of mints in various provinces including Jiangxi. However, due to shortages in skilled labour and raw materials, minting activities in Jiangxi were frequently interrupted during the Shunzhi and Kangxi reigns. In AD 1729 (the seventh year of Yongzheng), the Baochang Mint was formally established in Nanchang and designated as the sole minting institution in Jiangxi. Coinage resumed in AD 1737 using reclaimed private and obsolete coins with coins. In AD 1744, additional coinage was minted to supplement military funding in response to preparations for military mobilisation against the Dzungar Khanate. Thereafter, the number of furnaces in operation was adjusted in response to coin reserves, circulation demands, and production costs. During the Xianfeng reign (AD 1853–1855), amid warfare and fiscal distress, the mint adopted a large-denomination coin policy and was ordered to produce high-value coins such as “ten-wen” and “fifty-wen” pieces, but minting ceased shortly thereafter due to currency confusion. In the Tongzhi and Guangxu periods, only a small volume of xiaopingqian was produced. Following the establishment of a mechanised copper coin factory in AD 1902 (Guangxu 28), traditional cast coinage came to an end.

Jiangxi’s coinage system during the Qing period exhibited three main characteristics: first, a chronic shortage of raw materials and skilled mint workers, with the transportation of Yunnan copper difficult and local expertise lacking, resulting in frequent disruptions; second, an overabundance of small-denomination coins, especially in and around Nanchang, where the circulation of standard-value coins was difficult, prompting government responses such as increasing furnace numbers and mandating coin issuance alongside salaries; third, relatively small-scale illicit minting, with most counterfeit low-value coins entering Jiangxi from neighbouring provinces, while internal cases of private minting remained limited. Overall, the province’s coinage operations faced ongoing constraints and systemic imbalances.

The metallic composition of the “Qianlong Tongbao” coins varied by region. From the first to fifth years of Qianlong’s reign (AD 1736–1740), mints in Yunnan continued the Yongzheng-era standard, casting “yellow cash” using a mixture of 60% copper and 40% lead (including zinc and lead). In the fifth year of Qianlong (AD 1740), in response to the widespread practise of melting coins to produce utensils for profit, the composition was changed to “green cash”, comprising 50% red copper, 41.5% white lead (zinc), 6.5% black lead, and 2% tin. All mints were instructed to follow this new standard. It was reported that these green cash coins would shatter with a single strike if melted and reused. However, according to unearthed specimens, a considerable number of yellow cash coins appear to have still been produced, suggesting that the older composition remained in use alongside the official standard.

Emperor Qianlong, born Hongli of the Aisin Gioro clan, reigned from AD 1735 to 1796 and, alongside his predecessors Kangxi and Yongzheng, symbolised the peak of Qing imperial power. He advanced both civil and military affairs, compiled the “Complete Library of the Four Treasuries”, pacified the Dzungar and Muslim rebellions, and expanded the empire’s territory to its greatest historical extent. Styling himself as the “Old Man of Ten Perfect Victories”, he emphasised Confucian governance and cultural consolidation. Nevertheless, his later years were marked by extravagance and growing political corruption, foreshadowing the Qing dynasty’s eventual decline.

物件編號: A2780

年代: 公元 1742-1752 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 24.6 x 24.6 x 0.9 mm

重量: 3.55 g

製造地: 江西省寶昌局

來源: 大城郵幣社 2019

這是清代乾隆帝，於乾隆七年至十七年(公元1742至1752年)，由江西省南昌府錢局，即「寶昌局」，復鑄當年所鑄行之「乾隆通寶」。法重一錢二分(約合今4.3公克)，幣值為一文，亦稱為小平錢。

錢幣形制為漢文化圈傳統之方孔圓錢。工藝較粗糙，文字漫漶。錢面錢文為漢字「乾隆通寶」楷書，由上至下，由右至左對讀。「通」字「マ」旁寫為「ㄗ」；「通」字「辶」旁點與折筆寫為二點；「寶」字「缶」旁寫為「尔」。四字均未接穿連輪。「乾」字「乙」旁寫為上長下短或幾乎等長，外輪較闊，此為戶部寶泉局於乾隆五年至十年(公元1740至1745年)使用之幣模版型之一，按日人錢譜之「手類錢」分類法，當為「泉手昌」。

錢背錢文為滿文「ᠪᠣᡠ ᠴᠠᠩ」，即左「寶」右「昌」。滿文「寶」字字首寫為圓弧而非尖角，末筆未向左延伸，「寶」字左側似連輪；滿文「昌」字似接穿連輪。

清代江西鑄錢始於順治四年(公元1647年)，當時朝廷准許江西等地設局鼓鑄，然因缺乏匠役與原料，順治至康熙年間屢啟屢停。雍正七年(公元1729年)正式於南昌府設立寶昌局，為江西唯一鑄錢機構。乾隆二年(公元1737年)起復鑄，並以收回私鑄與舊錢為料鑄錢。乾隆九年(公元1744年)，因對準噶爾汗國軍事動員，加鑄以補軍資。其後根據存量、流通狀況與成本考量多次增減停復爐座。咸豐年間(公元1853–1855年)因戰亂與財政壓力，推行大錢政策，寶昌局亦奉令鑄造當十與當五十等面值大錢，後因幣值混亂而停鑄。同治與光緒年間僅維持少量小平錢鑄造，至光緒二十八年(公元1902)設立機器銅元廠後，傳統制錢進入歷史。

清代江西錢法主要有三大特點：一是幣材與匠役短缺，滇銅運輸困難、本地工匠不足，致使鼓鑄時常中斷；二是小錢氾濫，南昌府及周邊足值制錢難以推行，政府透過增設爐座與強制搭放應對；三是私鑄規模小，主要為外省小錢流入所致，本地私鑄情形相對輕微。整體呈現鑄錢受限、錢法失衡的局面。

乾隆通寶的成色，按地區也各有差別，乾隆元年至五年(公元1736-1740年)，寶昌局襲雍正朝定例，鑄「黃錢」，以銅六鉛(鋅及鉛)四搭配。乾隆五年，由於民間毀錢鑄器以圖利的現象普遍，於是改以紅銅百分之五十、白鉛(鋅)百分之四十一點五、黑鉛百分之六點五、點錫百分之二的比例改鑄「青錢」，各錢局一體遵行，據稱若毀青錢鑄器則一擊即碎。但按出土實物，似乎仍鑄黃錢者仍有不少。

乾隆帝，清高宗愛新覺羅弘曆，公元1735至1796年在位，康雍乾並為清朝盛世的象徵。他推行文治武功，編修《四庫全書》，平定準噶爾與回部叛亂，擴展帝國疆域至歷史高峰，以此自稱「十全老人」，並重視儒學與文化治理。晚年奢侈揮霍，政治日漸腐敗，為清朝衰退埋下伏筆。