Item number: A4361

Year: AD 666

Material: Bronze

Size: 25.7 x 25.3 x 1.6 mm

Weight: 5.5 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a Qianfeng Quanbao coin, minted by Emperor Gaozong of the Tang dynasty. The coin features both outer rims and inner borders, with the outer rim being relatively thick and the inner border thinner.

The obverse bears the inscription “Qianfeng Quanbao” in a revolving script, blending regular and clerical script styles. The name “Qianfeng” originates from the first year of the Qianfeng era under Emperor Gaozong of the Tang dynasty, marking the first Tang coin to bear a reign title. This coin broke with the previous tradition of using only clerical script on coin inscriptions. The Qianfeng era was Emperor Gaozong’s fifth reign title, adopted in AD 666 when he performed the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, symbolising the concept of sealing the mountains and initiating a new cosmic beginning. That same year, large Qianfeng Quanbao coins were cast, serving both as commemorative issues and as a monetary reform measure. The large coin was valued at ten times the old Kaiyuan coins, intended to kerb the circulation of base coinage. However, the policy backfired, causing inflation and rising prices, leading to the cessation of production the following year. According to archaeological findings, Qianfeng Quanbao coins are more commonly found in copper, with lead varieties being rarer.

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, copper shortages forced many states to continue using old Tang Kaiyuan Tongbao coins. Amid the turmoil of the late Tang dynasty, Ma Yin seized military control and established his dominion, later receiving the title of Military Governor of Wuan from the Tang court. After Zhu Wen deposed the Tang emperor and founded the Later Liang dynasty, Ma Yin was granted the title of King of Chu during the Kaiping era (AD 907), marking the founding of Southern Chu. Southern Chu also continued to circulate old Tang coins as before.

The reverse of the coin bears the character “Ce” above the central hole. In AD 910, the fourth year of the Later Liang’s Kaiping era, Ma Yin submitted a memorial to the court requesting a title inspired by the story of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Li Yuan, granting his son, Prince Li Shimin, the title of “Heavenly Strategy General.” Consequently, Ma Yin was conferred the title of “Heavenly Strategy General” (Tiance Shangjiang). Inscribed characters such as “Tian,” “Ce,” “Tianfu,” and “Tiance” frequently appear on the reverses of coins issued by Ma Yin. Ma Yin’s coinage often imitated Tang designs, including coins such as Tiance Fu Bao, Qianfeng Quanbao, and Qianyuan Zhongbao, all of which bear Tang-style inscriptions.

物件編號: A4361

年代: 公元 666 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 25.7 x 25.3 x 1.6 mm

重量: 5.5 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚唐高宗李治所鑄的乾封泉寶。兩面外輪內廓兼具，外輪稍厚而內廓薄。

錢幣正面幣文為「乾封泉寶」旋讀，字體楷隸兼具。「乾封」得名於唐高宗乾封元年所鑄，為唐代第一枚年號錢，同時一改此前僅有隸書幣文的傳統。乾封為唐高宗的第五個年號，因公元666年封禪泰山而改元，取封嶽而乾元資始之意。同年鑄「乾封泉寶」大錢，以作紀念的同時，大錢以一當十兌開元舊錢，冀圖解決當時市面上的惡錢氾濫問題，但由於施政舉措不當，造成通貨膨脹，物價上漲，次年罷鑄詔回。以後世出土資料而言，銅質多鉛質少。

至五代十國時期，因銅料稀缺，各國多行開元舊錢。其中，唐末馬殷於亂中擁兵割據，得授唐武安節度使，朱溫廢帝自立後梁後，改元開平(公元907年)，馬殷得封楚王，是為南楚。南楚亦行舊錢如故。