Item number: A4371

Reference number: H#15.104; DCD#636-1

Year: AD 937 dated

Material: Bronze

Size: 22.2 x 22.2 x 1.5 mm

Weight: 3.65 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This bronze “Daqi Tongbao” specimen was cast during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period of Chinese history, specifically in the first year of the Shengyuan era (AD 939) by Li Bian, the founding sovereign of the Daqi and Southern Tang states.

The numismatic form adheres to the traditional round coin with a square central hole characteristic of the Sinosphere. The obverse bears the inscription “Daqi Tongbao” in clerical script, intended to be read in the orthodox top-to-bottom and right-to-left sequence. The reverse is plain, though the field features four distinct rings situated near the outer rim, earning this particular variety the epithet “Four-eyed Daqi.” Philological and calligraphic analysis reveals several anomalies: the lower component of the character “Qi” (齊), specifically near the “mouth” radical, is unusually narrow compared to authenticated Daqi Tongbao inscriptions. Furthermore, the “walking” radical (辶) of the character “Tong” (通) is rendered with a dot and three distinct strokes, deviating from the three-pivot style prevalent in “Kaiyuan Tongbao” coinage from the Tang to the Five Dynasties. Additionally, the “shell” radical (貝) of the character “Bao” (寶) is narrow with elongated final strokes, a stylistic trait frequently observed in late Northern Song coinage, such as the “Chongning Tongbao.” Physical examination suggests that on authentic extant specimens, the four “eyes” on the reverse should penetrate through to the obverse. Although mainstream scholarship attributes the Daqi Tongbao to Li Bian, the scarcity of historical records has fostered alternative hypotheses, including attributions to the late-Tang rebel Huang Chao or the late-Northern Song puppet ruler Liu Yu.

Extant examples of the Daqi Tongbao are exceedingly rare. The first recorded specimen, known as the “Chipped Corner Daqi” (Quejiao Daqi) due to its fractured edge, was acquired from an intoxicated man by the father of Dai Xi, a celebrated Qing Dynasty painter and Vice Minister of War. The coin was inherited by Dai Xi, who ultimately committed suicide by drowning in a lake following the Taiping Army’s capture of Hangzhou. Legend suggests he buried the coin prior to his death, while others contend he carried it on his person; despite several changes in the ownership of the Dai residence, the coin has never been recovered. The second recorded specimen, the “Four-eyed Daqi,” was purchased in AD 1925 in Poyang, Jiangxi, by the numismatists Dai Baoting and Zhu Kezhuang. This specimen featured four perforations in its outer rim as it had been repurposed as a weighted base for a shuttlecock (jianzi). Following periods of civil unrest, it passed through the collections of Zhang Shuxun and Dai Jitao. While several other Daqi Tongbao surfaced towards the end of the 20th century, the absence of verified archaeological excavation reports renders their authenticity difficult to ascertain.

Following the usurpation of the Tang throne by Zhu Wen, Yang Xingmi (the Military Governor of Huainan and Prince of Wu) and his son Yang Wo continued to observe the Tang era name “Tianyou.” However, shortly after his accession, Yang Wo was assassinated by the powerful official Xu Wen. Although his brother Yang Pu was enthroned as Emperor Rui of Wu (historically termed Yang Wu), he remained a mere puppet. In the third year of the Tianzuo era (AD 937), Xu Wen’s adopted son, Xu Zhigao, compelled Yang Pu to abdicate and established the state of “Qi.” Seeking to claim legitimacy through Tang lineage, he later declared himself a descendant of Li恪 (Prince of Jian and son of Emperor Xianzong), assumed the name Li Bian, and renamed the state “Tang,” known to history as the Southern Tang. The Southern Tang possessed a sophisticated socio-economic culture and led the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period in terms of coinage volume. Nevertheless, following the death of Li Bian in AD 943, the state faced persistent aggression from the rising Later Zhou dynasty in the north, leading to a steady decline in national strength. Li Jing, who ascended the throne in AD 943, cast the “Tangguo Tongbao,” “Datang Tongbao,” and “Baoda Yuanbao” to finance continuous military campaigns. By AD 958, following military defeat, Li Jing relinquished his imperial title, styled himself as “State Sovereign,” and accepted the suzerainty and calendar of the Later Zhou. In AD 975, Li Bian’s grandson Li Yu—the “Poet-Emperor” renowned for his literary achievements—surrendered to Zhao Kuangyin (Emperor Taizu of Song), who had usurped the Later Zhou. This event marked the final dissolution of the Southern Tang.

物件編號: A4371

參考書目編號: H#15.104; DCD#636-1

年代: 標示為公元 937 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 22.2 x 22.2 x 1.5 mm

重量: 3.65 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚鑄造於中國歷史上的五代十國時期，大齊與南唐的立國者李昪於昇元元年(公元939年)，所鑄的「大齊通寶」青銅錢。

錢幣形制為漢文化圈傳統的方孔圓錢，正面錢文為「大齊通寶」隸書，由上而下，由右至左對讀。錢背光素，地章四方近外輪處各有一環，稱為「四眼大齊」。「齊」字下方近「口」的部件較窄，迥異於公認大齊通寶之錢文；「通」字「辶」旁寫為點劃與三個折筆，異於唐至五代時「開元通寶」中，「通」字「辶」旁左側寫為三個折點的寫法；「寶」字「貝」旁較窄，末二劃較長，數見於北宋中後期錢文風格，如「崇寧通寶」。此外，按存世實物，錢背之四眼應穿透至錢面。雖然按文字風格主流學說為李昪所鑄，但由於史籍闕略，另有唐末黃巢所鑄說，北宋末劉豫所鑄說等。

大齊通寶迄今存世極少，首見者為「缺角大齊」，以錢幣一角破缺為名，該錢幣為清代累官至兵部右侍郎的名畫家戴熙其父，自一酒鬼處購得。後傳予戴熙，戴熙則於太平軍攻陷杭州後，投湖而死。傳說自盡前他將「缺角大齊」埋藏土中，也有一說為隨身佩戴，但此後戴宅幾經易手，該錢卻終未出土。其次為「四眼大齊」，為民國十四年(公元1925年)，錢幣學家戴保庭和朱克壯於江西鄱陽購得，但因該錢被製為毽子，是故外輪穿有四孔。後經戰亂，先後為張叔馴、戴吉濤所購得。至二十世紀末，另有數枚大齊通寶出土，但未有發掘報告相佐，難辨真偽。

唐末淮南節度使、吳王楊行密與其子楊渥，於朱溫篡唐後，仍奉唐哀帝天佑年號，但楊渥即位後旋遭楊吳權臣徐溫所弒，其弟楊溥雖即位為吳睿帝，史稱楊吳，實形同傀儡。徐溫養子徐知誥，於天祚三年(公元937年)迫楊溥禪位，改國號為「齊」。後為附會唐朝，自稱為唐憲宗子建王李恪後裔，改姓易名為李昪，改國號為「唐」，史稱南唐。南唐的鑄幣量為五代十國的佼佼者，擁有發達的社會經濟文化。然而自公元943年，李昪駕崩以後，南唐面臨北方的新興之秀後周的侵略，國勢日益衰弱。公元943年即位的李璟，為補連年兵亂的軍資，先後鑄行唐國通寶、大唐通寶、保大元寶。公元958年，李璟兵敗，去帝號，改稱國主，奉後周為正朔。公元975年，李昪的孫子李煜，即以「千古詞帝」文學成就為後人所知的李後主，向篡奪後周政權的宋太祖趙匡胤投降，就此結束南唐的歷史。