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Minh Mang Tong Bao
(Full Size)
明命通寶 (官方版)
Item number: M137
Year: AD 1820-1841
Material: Silver
Size: 48.9 x 48.9 x 1.6 mm
Weight: 23.6 g
Provenance: Spink 2023
This is a medal called “Minh Mang Tong Bao,” awarded during the reign of Emperor Minh Mang of the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnam, from AD 1820 to AD 1841. The silver medal has the appearance of a square-holed coin, with the four Chinese characters “Minh Mang Tong Bao” engraved on the obverse side in the sequence of “top, bottom, right, left”. “Minh Mang” represents the emperor’s reign title, while “Tong Bao” refers to the currency used in China since the Tang Dynasty. The reverse side of the medal features the four Chinese characters “Si Fang Wei Ze,” which originate from the ancient Chinese classic “Book of Songs”.The phrase translates to “(The Emperor) is the model for all the people.” Both the design and the inscription of the medal fully reflect the profound influence of Chinese culture on Vietnam.
The “Minh Mang Tong Bao” medal bears a striking resemblance to coins, leading to its local designation in Vietnam as “Tien” and its designation by the French colonialists as the “Coin of Honour.” The presence of the characters “Tong Bao” on the medal often leads collectors to mistake it for a coin. If one wishes to determine whether a “Tong Bao” is a medal or currency, the most suitable method is to check for additional perforations used to attach other decorations. Additionally, the presence of slanted lines is an important reference. Having slanted lines on the edge is a significant characteristic of circulating currency.
Currencies during the Nguyen Dynasty in Vietnam were heavily influenced by Chinese practises. Commonly circulated coins were made of cheap metals like copper or zinc and typically featured square holes. Precious metals like gold or silver were often shaped into rectangular ingots called “Nen,” with the reign title printed in Chinese characters on top. In the 18th century, during the influx of Spanish and Mexican silver dollars into the Far East, Vietnam initially continued the practise of recasting them into “Nen,” before gradually introducing silver or gold “Tien.”
During the Nguyen Dynasty, gold and silver “Tiens” were typically minted by the royal court to honour and appease civil and military officials. Additionally, on special occasions such as New Year, the Song Shan Festival dedicated to elders, or the emperor’s 50th, 60th, and 70th birthdays, “Tien” coins were also awarded as commemorative and reward tokens. The “Tien” in the form of a square-holed coin like “Minh Mang Tong Bao” allows recipients to wear it directly by threading a string through the central hole, often accompanied by tassells as decoration.
Before the Nguyen Dynasty ruled Vietnam, there may have been a similar system of awards and medals, but there is a lack of precise records about it. It wasn’t until the arrival of the French in Vietnam in AD 1840 that Europeans first documented a medal reward system resembling Western practies in the imperial court of Hue during the Nguyen Dynasty.
Based on the metal material, one can roughly determine the rank of the “Tien.” The highest rank, known as “Kim Tien” (Gold Tien), has four levels. In the early period of the Nguyen Dynasty, they were made of real gold, but later they gradually shifted to gold plating or basic metals. The next level, “Ngan Tien” (Silver Tien), sometimes follows European practises by indicating rank differences, but many “Silver Tiens” mainly display the regnal year of the emperor without specific rank distinctions.
During the reign of Emperor Minh Mang, Vietnam reached its historical peak in terms of territorial expansion, conquering territories that are now part of Cambodia and Laos, among others. However, conflicts also arose with neighbouring regional power Siam (now Thailand). Concurrently, Minh Mang faced rebellions from Catholics within his country. In response, he ordered the execution of French missionaries, which contributed to his image in France as a tyrant.