Item number: A3072

Year: AD 1533-1789

Material: Bronze

Size: 21.7 x 21.7 x 0.8 mm

Weight: 2.25 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a coin inscribed with “Hàm Bình Nguyên Bảo”, circulated in the region of Vietnam. Although “Hàm Bình” was the reign title of Emperor Zhenzong of the Northern Song dynasty (AD 998–1003), this coin is believed to have been privately cast in Vietnam.

The obverse inscription “Hàm Bình Nguyên Bảo” is arranged in a clockwise sequence starting from the top and is rendered in a style approximating regular script. The character “Bình” (平) appears relatively small in size, which may be described as “small Bình”. Its second horizontal stroke is distorted, the brushwork appears rudimentary, and the final two dot strokes are blurred. The two legs of the character “Nguyên” (元) intersect. This variant has not been recorded in earlier numismatic catalogues. The coin lacks both an outer rim and an inner border, and the surface is plain with no additional markings. The widespread white corrosion spots across the coin’s surface may indicate that it is composed of inferior tin-rich alloy, commonly associated with low-quality castings.

The practise of privately casting coins bearing Chinese reign titles was common in Vietnam, especially using those of emperors from the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties. This phenomenon can be attributed to the historically frequent interactions between China and Vietnam—ranging from tributary relations, trade, and suzerainty to conflict—as well as the chronic shortage of copper in Vietnam. Consequently, Chinese coinage entered Vietnam in large quantities and was accepted by local merchants and the public due to its established form and recognisability.

Since the initial minting of the square-holed round coin “Thái Bình Hưng Bảo” during the early Đại Cồ Việt Thái Bình era (AD 970), private minting had repeatedly been prohibited but persisted. The spread of privately cast coins was primarily driven by the scarcity of copper in Vietnam, compounded by the inadequacy of imported Chinese coins to meet local demand. However, these privately minted coins were often of inferior quality and produced for profit. When issued in excess, they could lead to inflation, resulting in the depreciation of coin value and rising commodity prices, thus affecting the livelihood of the people. The proliferation of such coins often occurred during periods when the central authority was weak or during times of internal conflict among regional powers. In the case of Vietnam, this was most prevalent during the late Trần dynasty (AD 1341–1400) and the later Lê dynasty (AD 1533–1789). Late Lê private coinage frequently featured inscriptions on only one side to reduce production costs, leaving the reverse side blank.

The Revival Lê dynasty of Đại Việt (AD 1533–1789) represented a distinctive period within the broader Later Lê dynasty. In AD 1527, Mạc Đăng Dung usurped the throne and established the Mạc dynasty. Loyalists of the Lê royal house installed Lê Trang Tông in the south, initiating a prolonged standoff between northern and southern forces. From AD 1545 onward, the powerful official Trịnh Kiểm held real power, rendering the Lê emperor a puppet under the control of the Trịnh lords. This period is known in history as the Revival Lê dynasty. During this time, the Trịnh family effectively governed northern Vietnam, while the Nguyễn lords controlled the south, resulting in the protracted “Trịnh–Nguyễn conflict”, also referred to as the “Southern and Northern Dynasties” period, which left the country divided for an extended time. Despite these political challenges, the Revival Lê period saw notable developments in culture, the arts, and the economy. Confucian scholarship and the imperial examination system were upheld, marking this era as one of Vietnam’s cultural golden ages. In AD 1788, the Tây Sơn uprising overthrew the Lê dynasty. The following year, Emperor Lê Chiêu Thống fled to the Qing dynasty, formally bringing the Revival Lê dynasty to an end.

物件編號: A3072

年代: 公元 1533-1789 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 21.7 x 21.7 x 0.8 mm

重量: 2.25 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚流布越南地區之咸平元寶。咸平雖為北宋真宗年號(公元998-1003年)，惟此錢應為越南私鑄。

錢面錢文為「咸平元寶」自上而右旋讀，大約為楷書。「平」字略小，可稱「小平」；第二橫劃扭曲，筆畫稚拙，末二點筆漫漶。「元」字二足交筆。前譜未見。錢幕無輪無廓，光素無文。遍布錢體的白色鏽斑或許代表此錢為高錫劣錢。

於越南流布之私鑄錢，取中國年號而自鑄為常有之例，主要為宋、明、清諸帝。概因歷朝歷代，中越的關係自羈縻、朝貢、貿易乃至相互衝突，接觸頻繁，加以越南本地缺銅，是以中國貨幣大量流入，形制得到本地商民的肯認。

自大越太平年初(公元970年)首鑄「太平興寶」方孔圓錢以來，私鑄錢便屢禁不絕。私鑄錢的流布，多因越南銅料缺乏，加以中國流入之錢幣不能滿足需要所致。但私鑄錢多以次充好，以此牟利，倘若浮濫，從而發生錢賤物貴的景況，將影響民生。故私鑄錢的泛濫，多於中央政權衰弱，乃至地方政權彼此攻伐之時期。於越南而言，主要集中在陳朝晚期(公元1341至1400年)與後黎朝晚期(公元1533至1789年)。後黎朝晚期之私鑄者，常只鑄一面以減省工藝，錢背保持為平面。

大越黎中興朝(公元1533－1789年)，是後黎朝的一個特殊時期。公元1527年莫登庸篡位，建立莫朝，黎氏宗室遺臣在南方擁立黎莊宗，形成南北對峙局面。公元1545年以後，權臣鄭檢掌握實權，黎朝皇帝成為鄭主控制下的傀儡，史稱「黎中興朝」。這一時期，鄭氏家族實際統治北越，南方則由阮氏政權控制，形成「鄭阮紛爭」，或稱「南北朝」的局勢，國家處於長期分裂。儘管如此，黎中興朝在文化、藝術、經濟方面仍有一定發展，儒學、科舉制度繼續推行，成為越南文化的黃金時代之一。公元1788年西山起義軍推翻黎朝，次年黎昭統帝出逃清朝，黎中興朝宣告終結。