Item number: A342

Year: AD 1661-1722

Material: Brass

Size: 27.8 x 27.8 x 0.8 mm

Weight: 4.0 g

Manufactured by: Bao Quan Bureau

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2024

This is a flower coin from the reign of the Qing Dynasty’s third emperor, Kangxi (AD 1661-AD 1722). It was originally a circulating currency coin, “Kangxi Tongbao,” minted by the Bao Quan Bureau, which was overseen by the Ministry of Revenue in the capital. The coin features intricate engravings on both sides of its outer rim.

The coin is circular with a square hole in the center, primarily made of brass. The coin features a design of concentric circles, with the outer circle displaying a brass colour and the inner circle, which contains the inscriptions, exhibiting a brown hue. On the obverse side, the outer circle showcases intricate carvings, with symmetrical four-petal floral and foliage patterns at the top and bottom. On the left side, there are delicate willow branches, a common motif in Chinese floral art.

The inner circle, centred around the square hole, has the characters “Kangxi Tongbao” inscribed in regular script at the top, bottom, right, and left positions, respectively.

On the reverse side, the outer circle features a cross-shaped floral and foliage pattern and X-shaped large leaf motifs. The inner circle is covered with a layer of rust-green patina, distinguishing it from coins minted elsewhere. Additionally, both Manchu and Chinese characters are used to denote the place of minting, which is unusual.

For mints under central administration like the “Bao Quan Bureau” and “Bao Yuan Bureau,” the inscriptions are entirely in Manchu. On this coin, the left and right sides of the inner circle bear the Manchu characters “Bao Quan,” indicating the name of the mint.

After the Manchus established the Qing Empire following their conquest of the Ming Dynasty, they maintained the central-level institutions responsible for coinage, namely the “Bao Quan Bureau” and “Bao Yuan Bureau.” The former, under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue, handled fiscal taxation, while the latter, overseen by the Ministry of Works, was responsible for construction projects.

Upon Emperor Kangxi’s accession to the throne in the 18th year of the Shunzhi era (AD 1661), the Ministry of Revenue was tasked with designing the “Kangxi Tongbao” and distributing instructions to local mints across the realm. Despite periodic suspensions of minting activities at the local level during Kangxi’s reign due to policy shifts, the central-level Bao Quan Bureau remained unaffected.

物件編號: A342

年代: 公元 1661-1722 年

材料: 黃銅

尺寸: 27.8 x 27.8 x 0.8 mm

重量: 4.0 g

製造地: 寶泉局

來源: 福君錢幣 2024

這是一枚清朝第三任皇帝康熙年間(公元1661-1722年)，京師戶部管轄的「寶泉局」鑄造之流通貨幣「康熙通寶」為底，於雙面的外圓施以刀工裝飾的花錢。

錢幣呈圓形，中間有一方孔，主要材質為黃銅。錢幣外觀為一雙同心圓，外圓呈黃銅色，內圓鐫字部分呈褐色。正面的外圓以精巧的刀工工藝，於上下鐫刻對稱的四瓣花草紋飾，左側則是中國花材經常使用的柳絮枝條；內圓則以方孔為中心，於上、下、右、左處以楷書依序鐫刻「康熙通寶」四字。

背面的外圓刻有十字狀的花草紋和X狀的大片葉子紋飾；內圓覆蓋一層生鏽的銅綠色，不同於各地方鑄造的錢幣，同時並列滿文和漢文的鑄造地名。歸中央管轄的「寶泉局」和「寶源局」則全部以滿文標示。該錢幣的左右兩側，分別以滿文鐫刻「寶泉」兩字。

滿州人入關建立清帝國後，沿襲明帝國於中央層級負責鑄造貨幣的「寶泉局」和「寶源局」兩個部門，前者是負責財政稅收的戶部，後者則是主責建設的工部管轄。康熙皇帝於順治18年(公元1661年)登基後，戶部負責設計康熙通寶和派發給各地的鑄錢局。即便在康熙統治時期，地方層級的鑄錢局多次受到政策影響停鑄，但中央層級的寶泉局並未受到影響。