Item number: A3041

Year: AD 1889-1907

Material: Bronze

Size: 23.2 x 23.0 x 0.9 mm

Weight: 3.25 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a “Thành Thái Thông Bảo” coin cast in bronze during the reign of Emperor Thành Thái, the 10th ruler of the Nguyễn dynasty, who reigned from AD 1889 to 1907. By this time, the Nguyễn emperors in Huế had largely lost real political power and functioned primarily as figureheads under French colonial rule. Nonetheless, to preserve the symbolic dignity of the monarchy, the traditional square-holed cash coins continued to be minted under the imperial era name.

The coin follows the traditional Chinese-influenced square-holed cash coin design. On the obverse, the four Chinese characters “Thành Thái Thông Bảo” (成泰通寶) are engraved in regular script, arranged in the sequence of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side is blank, with no inscriptions or designs.

Emperor Thành Thái was imprisoned at a young age due to palace intrigues and was not released until the age of ten, when he was rescued by the French and installed as a puppet emperor. During his reign, he actively absorbed and introduced elements of French culture. However, he also harboured a deep sense of sorrow over the country’s subjugation under French control.

In AD 1907, Emperor Thành Thái was deposed by the French colonial authorities for appointing officials without their approval. He was replaced by his son, Emperor Duy Tân, while Thành Thái was placed under house arrest in Cochinchina. In AD 1916, following Emperor Duy Tân’s participation in an anti-French uprising, both father and son were exiled to Réunion Island in the Indian Ocean. In AD 1947, with the assistance of his son-in-law, who was a practising lawyer, Thành Thái was finally permitted to return to his homeland. He passed away in AD 1954 at the age of 75.

物件編號: A3041

年代: 公元 1889-1907 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 23.2 x 23.0 x 0.9 mm

重量: 3.25 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是越南阮朝的第十任統治者成泰帝，於公元1889至1907年間，以其使用的年號發行鑄造的「成泰通寶」，材質為青銅。彼時位於順化的阮朝皇帝已經喪失實權，僅僅是作為法國殖民政府的傀儡，不過為了維持皇帝的門面仍有鑄造傳統的方孔錢。

錢幣形制為深受中國影響的方孔錢。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左的順序，依序以漢字楷書書法鐫刻「成泰通寶」四字。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何文字或圖案。

成泰帝年幼時因為宮廷鬥爭被關入監獄，直到十歲的時候才被法國人救出來擔任傀儡皇帝。成泰帝在位期間積極地吸收和引入法國文化，然而本人對於國家遭到法國控制一事也感到悲哀。

公元1907年，成泰帝未經法國許可擅自任用官員遭到殖民當局罷黜，改由其子維新帝繼位，成泰帝則被軟禁於南圻。公元1916年，成泰帝隨同反抗法國人的維新帝雙雙被流放到印度洋上的留尼旺島。公元1947年，在擔任律師的女婿協助下方才獲准回到故國。最終於公元1954年逝世，享年75歲。