Item number: A2980

Year: AD 1341-1357

Material: Bronze

Size: 20.6 x 20.6 x 0.4 mm

Weight: 1.5 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This coin was issued during the reign of Trần Dụ Tông, the seventh emperor of the Trần dynasty of Vietnam. It was cast under his first era name, bearing the inscription “Thiệu Phong Nguyên Bảo” (紹豐元寶), and made of bronze. In addition to this type, coins inscribed “Thiệu Phong Thông Bảo” (紹豐通寶) were also minted under the same era name. Among the two, the “Nguyên Bảo” variant is generally more refined and meticulously crafted than the “Thông Bảo” version.

The coin adopts a design modelled after the traditional Chinese square-holed cash coin. On the obverse, the inscription “Thiệu Phong Nguyên Bảo” (紹豐元寶) is engraved in a clockwise order—top, right, bottom, and left—in Chinese characters. Notably, the character “Nguyên” (元) at the bottom is rendered in seal script, while the remaining three characters are in regular script. This combination of multiple calligraphic styles is a common feature observed in Vietnamese coinage. The reverse side of the coin is plain, bearing no inscriptions or decorative motifs.

In contrast to the diligent and reform-minded reign of his father, Trần Minh Tông, Vietnamese historical records portray Trần Dụ Tông as a weak monarch prone to favouritism and indulgence in petty courtiers. Under his rule, the Trần dynasty entered a period of decline. During his reign, northern China was engulfed in the transitional turmoil between the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. Both the Yuan and the emerging Ming regimes sought to secure Vietnam’s allegiance. However, Trần Dụ Tông chose a stance of neutrality, refraining from involvement in the broader conflict.

物件編號: A2980

年代: 公元 1341-1357 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 20.6 x 20.6 x 0.4 mm

重量: 1.5 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是越南陳朝的第七任皇帝陳裕宗，以其使用的首個年號鑄造的「紹豐元寶」，材質為青銅。陳裕宗使用的這個年號，除了鑄造「紹豐元寶」也有「紹豐通寶」，其中「元寶」的設計較「通寶」來得精緻細膩。

錢幣形制為仿效中國的方孔錢。錢幣正面按照順時針順序，依序以漢字鐫刻「紹豐元寶」四字，其中下緣的「元」以篆書表示，其他三個字為楷書字體。這種交雜不同的書法字體為越南錢幣常見的特色。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何圖案或文字。

相比於父親陳明宗的勵精圖治，越南史書將陳裕宗視為寵溺小人的昏君，陳朝在他的統治下走向衰亡一途。陳裕宗在位期間，北方的中國正處於元末明初的混亂局面，元和明雙方皆希望能爭取到越南的支持，不過陳裕宗選擇保持中立不願介入其中。