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 Yuanbao,
10 Cash,Honan Province
(Relief Vertical Taiji & Water Dragon Version)
清 光緒元寶
十文河南省造
(陽直太極&水龍版)
Item number: A452
Year: AD 1904-1909
Material: Copper
Size: 28.2 x 28.2 x 1.3 mm
Weight: 7.65 g
Manufactured by: Kaifeng, Honan Copper Coin Bureau
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is a Guangxu 30th Year to Xuantong 1st Year (AD 1904 to AD 1909) “Guangxu Yuanbao” Western-style copper coin, denominated at ten cash, minted by the Honan Copper Coin Bureau located in the provincial capital, Kaifeng. Despite being a relatively late adopter of machine minting, Honan’s copper coins exhibit a rich diversity of designs.
The coin depicts a five-clawed dragon leaping out of the water, with four four-petal floral ornaments on each side. The upper edge bears the Wade-Giles romanisation “HO-NAN,” while the lower edge indicates the denomination as “TEN CASH.”
The reverse side of the coin features a beaded rim, with the central inscription “Guangxu Yuanbao” in Chinese characters and an relief Taiji symbol.Due to its age, the details of the Tai Chi symbol are now unclear. The central Taiji symbol is a distinctive mark of the Honan Copper Coin Bureau, with various versions including both engraved and relief varieties, as well as different orientations such as upright, horizontal, tilted, and inverted. On both sides, from left to right, the Manchu characters “Bao He” are engraved to serve as dividers. The upper edge is inscribed with the words “Made in Honan Province,” while the lower edge indicates the denomination as “Each one equivalent to Ten Cash.”
In AD 1904, during the 30th year of the Guangxu reign,Chen Kuilong, the Governor of Honan, petitioned the imperial court to establish a copper coin bureau in Kaifeng to address the shortage of copper coins in Honan Province. Upon approval from the court, Chen Kuilong purchased machinery from the Ferracute Machine Company in New Jersey, USA, to commence the production of Western-style copper coins.
In the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1906), the mint was renamed as the “Central Mint Honan Branch” and became the least productive among the nine remaining mints nationwide. In the same year, the Ministry of Revenue issued an order requiring it to mint Great Qing Copper Coins bearing the provincial abbreviation “Bian” for the court. Consequently, the factory ceased the production of Guangxu Yuanbao coins.