Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
Qing Dynasty
Kangxi Tongbao
Yunnan Province Bureau
清
康熙通寶
雲南省局造
Item number: A71
Year: AD 1663-1673 / 1681-1689
Material: Brass
Size: 27.78 x 27.81 mm
Weight: 5.11 g
Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2023
This coin was a circulating currency known as “Kangxi Tongbao,” minted during the reign of the third emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Kangxi, spanning from AD 1661 to AD 1722. It was produced at the coin mint in Yunnan Province.
The coin is circular with a square hole in the center, primarily made of brass. The outer part of the coin forms two concentric circles, with the outer circle in a dark brown color, smooth and without any patterns. The inner circle on the obverse side, surrounding the square hole, features the inscription“Kangxi Tongbao”in regular script at the top, bottom, right, and left in sequence. On the reverse side, also centered around the square hole, both the left and right sides bear inscriptions in Manchu and Chinese characters, indicating the minting location asthe abbreviated form “Yun” forYunnan.
During the Kangxi era, in addition to the central mints, “Baoquan Bureau” and “Baoyuan Bureau,” 24 regional mints were established. In Yunnan province, coin casting began in the 17th year of the Shunzhi era (AD 1660).After Wu Sangui, who was conferred the title of Prince Pingxi, suppressed the Southern Ming regime,he established the “Yunnan Baoquan Bureau” in the provincial capital Kunming, known as “Bao Yun Bureau.” Taking advantage of Yunnan’s abundant copper resources and the authority to mint coins, Wu Sangui expanded his own power. In the 12th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1673), stimulated by the central government’s decision to eliminate feudalism, Wu Sangui initiated the “Revolt of the Three Feudatories” in Yunnan and ceased the casting of Kangxi Tongbao.
It was not until the 20th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1681) when the Qing court regained control of Yunnan that the casting of Kangxi Tongbao resumed. In addition to the existing Yunnan Bureau, the Qing court established three new mints in Dali, Lufeng, and Mengzi. Subsequently, in the 24th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1685), a mint was opened in Lin’an Prefecture for coin casting. Yunnan had a total of five mints, a result of the Qing court’s vigorous copper mining efforts in the region.
During the Kangxi era, the annual production of copper coins in Yunnan reached as high as 180 million, accounting for sixty-two percent of the national quota. However, the widespread circulation of a large quantity of copper coins in the market led to inflation in Yunnan, causing a crisis in the local economy. In the 28th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1689), following the recommendation of the Viceroy of Yunnan and Guizhou, Fan Chengxun, the imperial court ordered the suspension of coin casting at all five mints in Yunnan. This suspension lasted for more than thirty years, until the Yongzheng period when coin casting resumed in the province.