Item number: A110

Year: AD 1906

Material: Brass

Size: 16.76 x 17.08 mm

Weight: 1.3 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a “Guang Ming Shi Jie” brass coin, believed to have been produced in Guangdong during the late Qing Dynasty using mechanical minting technology. There is limited information available about the background of this coin. In the collecting community, there are three known versions: “double-sided identical,” “nine stars,” and “Bao Guang.” This specimen is the “nine stars” version. By comparing the script on this coin with that on Guangxu Tongbao copper coins produced by the Bao Guang Bureau in the 32nd year of Guangxu (AD 1906), collectors have determined that this coin likely dates from the same period.

The coin largely follows the appearance of square-holed coins but lacks distinct outer edges. Instead, there is a circular hole in the centre, likely made through mechanical means. On the obverse side of the coin are the four Chinese characters “Guang Ming Shi Jie,”(Brightness World) which may suggest a connection to Taoist rituals or concepts. On the reverse side, there are nine pentagonal stars arranged in a circular pattern. The nine stars on the coin are likely related to the Taoist belief in the “Nine Stars of the Northern Dipper,” which includes the seven visible stars of the Big Dipper and two additional, less visible stars. This belief is significant in Taoism, where the Northern Dipper is considered a powerful constellation with various spiritual and protective attributes.

Regarding the potential uses of this coin, there are two more credible theories:

1. It served as “ghost money” for burial with the deceased.

2.It was used as a gambling token.

Additionally, there are intriguing but less substantiated stories suggesting that the coin might have been minted by the secret anti- government organisation “Tiandihui” that was active in southern China during the Qing Dynasty, or by Puyi, the last Emperor of China, for use in the subsequently established Manchukuo.

物件編號: A110

年代: 公元 1906 年

材料: 黃銅

尺寸: 16.76 x 17.08 mm

重量: 1.3 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚疑似於清末的廣東，以機械鑄造技術製作的「光明世界」銅幣。該枚硬幣的相關背景不多，目前在收藏界有「合背」、「九星」和「寶廣」三種版本，該物件為「九星」版本。藉著跟光緒32年(公元1906年)，負責鑄造廣東一省銅錢的「寶廣局」，其出廠的光緒通寶銅元之字體作比對，收藏界判定為同時期的產物。

錢幣大致承襲方孔錢的外觀，但缺少明顯的外廓，中間是用機械穿透的圓孔。錢幣正面有「光明世界」四個漢字，代表這枚錢幣和道教法事或許有所關連。錢幣背面則是環狀排列的九顆五角星。九星極可能跟道教信仰的「北斗九星」有關，即肉眼可見的「北斗七星」和兩顆能見度較低的星體組合。

關於這枚錢幣的用途，較為可信的說法有兩種：第一種，提供亡者陪葬的「冥錢」；第二種，是供人賭博使用的籌碼。除此之外，尚有是清代流行於華南地方的秘密反政府團體「天地會」，或後續建立滿洲國的溥儀所鑄造等軼聞。