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
Jizhou TownBureau
(Manchu Script Version 1)
清
康熙通寶
薊州鎮局造
(滿文字體一版)
Item number: A354-5
Year: AD 1661-1662 / 1667-1671
Material: Brass
Size: 27.1 x 27.1 x 0.8 mm
Weight: 3.5 g
Manufactured by: Jizhou Town 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 coin mint in Jizhou Town, Zhili 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 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. On the reverse side, centred around the square hole, the minting location is inscribed with Manchu script “ᡷᡳ” on the left and the Chinese character “Ji” on the right, indicating that the coin was minted in Jizhou.
Compared to other coins in the museum’s collection, the Manchu script “ᡷᡳ” on this coin is more severely worn. Its strokes appear rounder and thicker, with the dot on the right side particularly full and prominent.
During the Kangxi era, in addition to the central mints “Bao Quan Bureau” and “Bao Yuan Bureau,” a total of 24 regional mints were established. Located in the area of present-day Tianjin, the “Jizhou Town Bureau,” abbreviated as the “Bao Ji Bureau,” has a history that can be traced back to the Tianqi period of the Ming Dynasty. It was primarily responsible for minting coins to supply military pay for the northern armies. After the Manchus entered China and established the Qing Dynasty, the bureau continued its operations, adhering to the old system, although it experienced several periods of closure over time.
In the 18th year of the Shunzhi reign (AD 1661), after Kangxi ascended the throne, various regional mints, including the Bao Ji Bureau, received samples and began minting Kangxi Tongbao coins. However, in the following year, the 1st year of the Kangxi reign (AD 1662), a new policy retained only the Jiangning Bureau in Nanjing at the local level, temporarily closing all other regional mints. It was not until the 6th year of Kangxi (AD 1667) that the Bao Ji Bureau was granted approval by the Ministry of Revenue to resume operations. Nonetheless, in the 10th year of Kangxi (AD 1671), it received another order to cease operations, and no further Kangxi Tongbao coins were minted thereafter. In the 61st year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1722), after the imperial court implemented a new policy allowing only one minting bureau per province, the Bao Ji Bureau was abolished and thus faded into history.