Item number: A3140

Year: AD 1793-1801

Material: Brass

Size: 23.3 x 23.3 x 0.5 mm

Weight: 1.8 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a “Cảnh Thịnh Thông Bảo” coin cast in brass between AD 1792 and 1802 by Nguyễn Quang Toản, the last ruler of the Tây Sơn dynasty, who is referred to in historical records as the Cảnh Thịnh Emperor. The coin bears the inscription of his first reign title, “Cảnh Thịnh.”

The Cảnh Thịnh Thông Bảo coins exhibit a wide variety of forms and styles, reflecting the lack of a centralised and authoritative minting institution within the Tây Sơn dynasty. As a result, coins produced in different regions show significant variations in both design and weight, indicative of decentralised and inconsistent minting practises.

The coin follows the traditional Chinese-style square-holed cash coin design. On the obverse of the coin, the inscription “景盛通寶” (Cảnh Thịnh Thông Bảo) is engraved in neatly executed regular script Chinese characters, arranged in the order of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side is plain, featuring no inscriptions or decorative elements.

The Tây Sơn dynasty was a Vietnamese regime that existed from AD 1778 to 1802, founded by the three Tây Sơn brothers of the Nguyễn family, who led a rebellion against the oppressive taxation and rule of the Nguyễn lords of Quảng Nam in southern Vietnam.

Nguyễn Quang Toản, the second and final ruler of the Tây Sơn dynasty, was captured and executed by Nguyễn Phúc Ánh, a descendant of the Nguyễn lords, in AD 1802 through lingchi (death by a thousand cuts). Following the fall of the Tây Sơn regime, Nguyễn Phúc Ánh established the Nguyễn dynasty, which became the last imperial dynasty of Vietnam.

物件編號: A3140

年代: 公元 1793-1801 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 23.3 x 23.3 x 0.5 mm

重量: 1.8 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚公元1792至1802年期間，西山朝的末代統治者，史書又稱其為景盛皇帝的阮光纘，以他使用的第一個年號發行鑄造的「景盛通寶」，材質為黃銅。

景盛通寶的版型十分多元複雜，代表西山朝內部欠缺強而有力的鑄造單位，使得各地自行鑄造的錢幣在形制和重量上頗有落差。

錢幣形制為仿效中國的方孔錢造型。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左的順序，依序以工整的漢字楷書書法鐫刻「景盛通寶」。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何文字或是圖案。

西山朝為存續於公元1778至1802年間的越南政權，由不堪重稅而反抗統治越南南部的廣南阮氏政權的西山阮氏三兄弟創立。阮光纘為西山朝第二任也是末代統治者，於公元1802年遭到廣南阮氏後人阮福映俘虜和凌遲而死。西山朝滅亡之後，阮福映建立越南最後一個王朝阮朝。