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, Guangxu Tongbao,
Kwangtung Province (Guangxu 32nd year version)
清 光緒通寶
廣東省造 (光緒三十二年版)
Item number: A413
Year: AD 1906
Material: Bronze
Size: 16.4 x 16.4 x 0.8 mm
Weight: 1.2 g
Manufactured by: Guangdong, Canton Mint
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is a coin from the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1906). Governor Cen Chunxuan, sensing the shortage of bronze coins in circulation, decided to instruct the Canton mint to restart the production line of “Guangxu Tongbao” to alleviate the currency shortage. On the obverse of the coin, the characters “Guangxu Tongbao” are inscribed in the sequence “top, bottom, right, left.” On the reverse, centred around the square hole, the Manchu characters “Bao Guang” are inscribed on either side.
The coin maintains the traditional Chinese square-holed design, with the central round hole punched mechanically. However, due to the quality limitations of machinery at the time, the hole-punching machines often required frequent replacement, leading to low production efficiency and high costs. This accelerated the phase-out of square-holed coins.
In the 26th year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1900), the Canton mint, in accordance with the Emperor’s decree, minted Guangxu Tongbao coins with the characters “Bao Guang” on the reverse. However, due to the soaring price of copper ore, the weight of the coins was reduced from the original 1 Mace to 8 Candareens, and subsequently further reduced to 6 Candareens. In the same year, Guangdong temporarily halted the production line of Guangxu Tongbao coins and instead imitated the neighbouring British Hong Kong bronze coin, the “Cent.”
It wasn’t until the 32nd year of Guangxu (AD 1906) that Governor Cen Chunxuan, feeling the shortage of bronze coins in circulation, resumed the production of square-holed Guangxu Tongbao coins. However, the weight was reduced to 3.2 Candareens (1.2 g).