Item number: A4015

Reference number: Yan#412、DCD#77-4

Year: AD 1032-1033

Material: Bronze

Size: 25.3 x 25.3 x 0.9 mm

Weight: 3.5 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This specimen is the Mingdao Yuanbao (明道元寶), an era name coinage cast during the reign of Emperor Renzong (宋仁宗), the fourth monarch of the Northern Song Dynasty, using his second era name. Throughout his forty-one-year reign, Zhao Zhen (趙禎), known as Emperor Renzong, utilized nine distinct era names.

The physical form of the coin conforms to the traditional round shape with a square central perforation characteristic of the Sinospheric cultural orbit. The obverse features the inscription Mingdao Yuanbao (明道元寶) in regular script (kaishu 楷書), read circumspectly starting from the top. Compared to other varieties, the outer rim on the obverse is slightly broader. The outer rim on the reverse is even broader than that of the obverse, with a plain field (dizhang 地章) devoid of any patterns or inscriptions.

Zhao Zhen (Emperor Renzong), who reigned from AD 1022 to 1063, was the fourth emperor of the Northern Song. His reign was characterized by stable national strength and relative social prosperity, a period historiographically lauded as the “Minor Golden Age of Renzong” (Renzong Shengzhi 仁宗盛治). Politically, he championed civilian governance and appointed eminent officials such as Fan Zhongyan (范仲淹), Bao Zheng (包拯), Han Qi (韓琦), and Ouyang Xiu (歐陽修). He promoted reforms in the imperial examination system and administrative institutions which, despite frequent opposition from conservative factions, laid the foundation for the subsequent Xining Reforms (Xining Bianfa 熙寧變法). Renowned for his leniency and benevolence, Renzong was tolerant of his subordinates and receptive to remonstrance; although factional struggles emerged under his rule, the overall political situation remained stable. During his tenure, he personally adjudicated numerous miscarriages of justice and advocated for Confucianism and frugality. In foreign policy, he maintained peace treaties with the Liao (遼) and Western Xia (西夏) dynasties, opting to secure frontier stability through the payment of annual subsidies rather than large-scale warfare, thereby establishing the steady geopolitical landscape of the mid-Northern Song.

The monetary system of the Song Dynasties was remarkably complex. Officially circulated currency utilized both copper and iron as primary metallic media, which functioned alongside paper currency. Concurrently, silver gradually assumed a position of significant importance. Copper coins were issued in denominations ranging from a value of one to ten. Various circuits (lu 路) minted coins according to local demand; some regions utilized only copper, some only iron, and others a bimetallic combination. The calligraphic styles employed on these coins were diverse, encompassing regular, clerical, seal, and slender gold scripts. The simultaneous issuance of coinage in multiple calligraphic styles originated with the Chunhua Yuanbao (淳化元寶) under Emperor Taizong. However, the introduction of matched sets (duiqian 對錢)—series of coins with identical dimensions and designs but rendered in different calligraphic scripts—largely commenced with the Tiansheng Yuanbao (天聖元寶) during the reign of Emperor Renzong.

物件編號: A4015

參考書目編號: Yan#412、DCD#77-4

年代: 公元 1032-1033 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 25.3 x 25.3 x 0.9 mm

重量: 3.5 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是北宋的第四位皇帝宋仁宗，以其使用的第二個年號鑄造的「明道元寶」。宋仁宗趙禎在位的41年間，先後使用過九個年號。

錢幣形制為漢文化圈傳統的方孔圓錢。錢面錢文為楷書「明道元寶」，四字自上而右旋讀。錢幣正面與其他版式相較，外輪略寬。背面外輪較正面更寬，地章光素，沒有任何圖案或文字。

宋仁宗趙禎，公元1022–1063年在位，為北宋第四位皇帝。仁宗統治時期國力穩定，社會相對繁榮，史稱「仁宗盛治」。政治上，他推崇文治，重用范仲淹、包拯、韓琦、歐陽修等名臣，推動科舉與制度改革，雖屢遭保守勢力反對，但為後世熙寧變法奠定基礎。仁宗性格寬厚仁慈，對臣下多寬容，善於納諫，儘管治下黨爭時起，但整體政局安定。他任內多次親自裁決冤獄，並提倡儒學與節儉。在外交上，最終決定與遼、西夏維持和議，避免大規模戰爭，透過歲幣換取邊境和平，形成北宋中期的穩定局面。

兩宋幣制複雜，正式行用的幣材便有銅鐵兩種，配合紙幣相權。白銀則逐漸佔有重要地位。銅幣面額折一至折十不等。各路依需求各自鑄錢，有些只用銅錢，有些只用鐵錢，有些銅鐵兼用。字體則楷書、隸書、篆書、瘦金體等不一而足。首度同時發行多書體錢幣，自太宗淳化元寶始，而首度發行對錢，即形制相仿但書體不同的系列錢幣，大概自仁宗天聖元寶始。