Item number: A3210

Year: AD 1813-1819

Material: Zinc

Size: 23.7 x 23.8 x 1.1 mm

Weight: 2.7 g

Manufactured by: Bắc Thành Mint Bereau

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a “Gia Long Thông Bảo” coin issued under Emperor Gia Long of the Nguyễn dynasty, cast in white lead, that is, zinc. In some Japanese numismatic catalogues, this material is referred to as “suna-ryō” (砂鑞). The nominal weight was seven phân, with actual specimens typically weighing between approximately 2.9 and 3.65 grams, corresponding to eight phân to one tiền. This particular coin weighs approximately six phân and nine li, closely matching the nominal weight, and is thus likely an early casting.

The coin follows the traditional square-holed round format characteristic of the Sinosphere. The obverse bears the inscription “嘉隆通寶” (Gia Long Thông Bảo) in regular script, read vertically from top to bottom and right to left. The characters are relatively small. In the character “隆”, the top horizontal stroke of the “生” component is omitted, and the “阝” radical is rendered in a form resembling “ㄗ”. In the character “通”, the “辶” radical is written with a dot and a single turning stroke instead of two folds, the final press stroke is flat, and the “マ” component is rendered as “コ”. In the character “寶”, the “缶” component is rendered as “尔”. On the reverse, the weight mark “七分” (seven phân) appears in regular script, read from right to left.

Due to a shortage of copper in Vietnam, the circulation of white lead coins gradually became customary. As early as the Song dynasty in China, there were records of lead-alloy Lê dynasty coins (“suna-ryō”) circulating in southern China and causing monetary disruption. During the reign of Nguyễn Phúc Khoát (r. AD 1738–1765) of the southern Nguyễn lords, the use of such coinage was also documented. Beginning in AD 1813 (Gia Long 12), the Nguyễn court began large-scale production of white lead coins, marked “seven phân” on the reverse, with actual weight matching the inscribed denomination. However, during the late Gia Long period, the weight of these coins appears to have increased to nearly one tiền, possibly to address issues of convertibility between copper and lead coinage. The production of white lead coins not only enhanced monetary circulation and “benefited the nation and enriched the people” (贍國裕民), but was further justified by Emperor Minh Mạng, Gia Long’s successor, who stated: “The use of lead coinage ensures that wealthy households do not hoard money, and that foreign merchants are not inclined to carry it away. Its circulation benefits not only the people, but also the state—it is a natural advantage.” By the Minh Mạng era, white lead coins had become the primary currency in actual use, while copper coins were retained mainly as accounting units. Due to their low intrinsic value, high frequency of circulation, brittle texture, and tendency to break, lead coins suffered extensive wear and were rarely considered collectible. As a result, surviving specimens are relatively scarce today.

Emperor Gia Long, born Nguyễn Phúc Ánh, was the founding sovereign of the Nguyễn dynasty of Vietnam. He survived the overthrow of the Nguyễn Lords by the Tây Sơn uprising and embarked on a 25-year-long campaign to restore his lineage. After repeated defeats and exile, he sought foreign support, notably from the French missionary Pigneau de Béhaine, who aided him in raising an army and navy and introducing Western military technologies. In AD 1802, he succeeded in defeating the Tây Sơn forces and reunifying Vietnam. He established the Nguyễn dynasty and adopted the regnal title Gia Long, renaming the state “Việt Nam.” His administration emulated Qing China’s bureaucratic model, instituting the Six Ministries and the imperial examination system, thereby centralising power and imposing cautious control over religious practice. Gia Long placed emphasis on educational, military, and fiscal reforms, and secured political legitimacy through tribute missions to the Qing court. He ruled until his death in AD 1820 and is regarded as the founder of Vietnam’s last dynastic regime.

物件編號: A3210

年代: 公元 1813-1819 年

材質: 白鉛(鋅)

尺寸: 23.7 x 23.8 x 1.1 mm

重量: 2.7 g

製造地: 北城鑄錢局

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚阮朝嘉隆帝所鑄行之「嘉隆通寶」，白鉛質，即鋅，日本有些錢譜稱為「砂鑞」。名重七分，均重約2.9至3.65公克，合八分至一錢。此錢約合六分九厘，符合名重，當為早期鑄幣。

錢幣形制為漢文化圈傳統之方孔圓錢。錢面錢文「嘉隆通寶」楷書，由上而下，由右至左對讀。字體較小，「隆」字「生」旁上橫劃省略，「阝」旁幾乎寫為「ㄗ」；「通」字「辶」旁點與二折筆寫為點與單折筆筆，底捺平筆，「マ」寫為「コ」；「寶」字「缶」旁寫為「尔」旁。錢幕錢文「七分」楷書紀重，由右至左順讀。

由於越南銅料缺乏，白鉛錢的行用逐漸成為傳統，早在中國宋代便有黎朝砂鑞錢流入中國南部造成流弊的紀錄。廣南阮主世宗時期(公元1738-1765年)亦載有行用記錄。阮朝嘉隆十二年(公元1813年)，開始大量鑄造白鉛錢，背七分紀重，實重如其文。但嘉隆晚期似有增重至約一錢，或許是為了解決銅錢與白鉛錢之間的兌換問題。白鉛錢的鑄造，除了增加流通性，「贍國裕民」外，承嘉隆大統的明命帝更認為「鉛錢之用，富戶既不敢私藏，而臨國來商者又不敢帶回。此錢流通非但利於民，亦利於國，乃自然之利也。」至明命帝，越南主要行用錢已經以白鉛錢為主，銅錢則為計價單位。而由於白鉛錢價賤，流通、磨損頻繁，質地硬脆易毀，加以時人認為沒有收藏價值，故存世至今反為少數。

嘉隆帝，名阮福映(Nguyễn Phúc Ánh)是越南阮朝的開國君主，他在西山起義推翻廣南阮主政權後倖存，開始長達二十五年的復國之路。早年多次遭西山軍追擊，他輾轉逃亡並尋求外援，特別依靠法國傳教士皮尼厄(Pigneau de Béhaine)的協助，籌建軍隊與海軍，並引進西方軍事技術。最終於公元1802年擊敗西山軍，統一越南，建立阮朝，自號嘉隆帝，改國號為「越南」。他仿效中國清朝制度，設立六部與科舉，強化中央集權，並對宗教採取審慎政策。嘉隆帝統治期間重視文教、軍事與財政體系的建設，並透過向清朝朝貢以鞏固正統地位。他在位至公元1820年去世，是越南近世封建統一的奠基者。