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
Jiangning PrefectureBureau
(Manchu Script Version 1)
清
康熙通寶
江寧府局造
(滿文字體一版)
Item number: A354-8
Year: AD 1661-1670
Material: Brass
Size: 26.8 x 26.8 x 0.7 mm
Weight: 3.9 g
Manufactured by: Jiangning Prefecture Bureau
Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2024
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 Jiangning Prefecture Bureau in Jiangnan Province, which is located in present-day Nanjing.
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 brass 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.
The reverse side of this coin also features a square hole at its centre, withManchu script “ᠨᡳᠩ” on the left side and the Chinese character “Ning” inscribed on the right side, indicating the place of minting. Due to the passage of time, the upper right part of the reverse side has suffered significant wear, making the characters appear unclear.
After the Qing Empire conquered the Central Plains, Jiangning Prefecture (modern-day Nanjing), which had served as the former capital of the Ming dynasty, became a crucial military stronghold for controlling the southern regions and a vital economic hub. Therefore, in the 3rd year of the Shunzhi reign (AD 1646), the Qing court established the “Jiangning Prefecture Bureau,” abbreviated as “Bao Ning Bureau,” to oversee coin minting in the area.
Following Kangxi’s ascension to the throne in the 18th year of the Shunzhi reign (AD 1661), the Bao Ning Bureau, along with other regional mints, received coin samples and began minting Kangxi Tongbao coins. Despite the central government’s directive in the 1st year of Kangxi (AD 1662) to close most regional mints to control the currency supply, Jiangning Prefecture, as a key military garrison, was the only local mint permitted to continue operations.
In the 6th year of Kangxi (AD 1667), Jiangnan Province was divided into Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, and the Bao Ning Bureau came under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province. However, in the 9th year of Kangxi (AD 1670), the Bao Ning Bureau was ordered to cease its minting activities.
In the 61st year of Kangxi (AD 1722), the Ministry of Revenue decided to retain only one mint per province, designating the Bao Su Bureau in Suzhou as the representative mint for Jiangsu Province. Consequently, the Bao Ning Bureau was officially closed and faded into history.