Item number: A672

Year: AD 1722-1735

Material: Brass

Size: 26.1 x 25.8 x 0.9 mm

Weight: 4.2 g

Manufactured by: Bao Yuan Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This refers to the “Yongzheng Tongbao,” a square-holed coin issued by the “Bao Yuan Bureau,” an institution established by the Ministry of Works during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, the fifth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, who ruled from AD 1722 to AD 1735.

The coin’s outer and inner borders, as well as the central square hole, are well-defined. The obverse side features the four Chinese characters “Yongzheng Tongbao” inscribed in regular script within the inner border. On the reverse side, the inner border contains the Manchu script “ᠪᠣᡠ ᠶᡠᠸᠠᠨ”(Boo Yuan), indicating the Bao Quan Bureau. The edge of this copper coin is wider compared to another coin also from the “Bao Yuan Bureau.”

The Bao Quan Bureau and the Bao Yuan Bureau were the primary institutions responsible for minting coins during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The establishment of the Qing Dynasty’s Bao Yuan Bureau can be traced back to the first year of the Shunzhi reign (AD 1644), when it was created to mint the “Shunzhi Tongbao” coins. At that time, the Ministry of Revenue set up the Bao Quan Bureau, primarily to produce coins for military expenses, while the Ministry of Works established the Bao Yuan Bureau to mint coins for use in construction projects.

In the early Qing Dynasty, the minting policies were not yet standardised, resulting in frequent changes despite the existence of basic guidelines. The Qing Dynasty primarily used silver as the standard currency, with the official rate set at “one tael of silver for every 1,000 copper coins.” However, due to fluctuations in the composition and weight of the copper coins, the exchange rate between silver and copper was unstable, severely impacting commerce and the livelihoods of the people. Consequently, during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, reforms were undertaken in the monetary system to strengthen the nation’s fiscal stability.

After the minting system was standardised, addressing the frequent adjustments in the size of copper coins that had occurred during the Kangxi period. Clear regulations were established regarding the weight of copper coins, the ratio of copper to lead in the alloy, the pricing of copper and lead used in minting, the quotas for coin production at various mints, the materials used, and the wages paid to furnace workers. Notably, the weight of copper coins was standardised at 1.2 qian, which was considered moderate and became the official standard. This reform ended the coexistence of copper coins with varying weights in the market, which had complicated exchanges, and thus facilitated the circulation of currency, promoting the development of the commodity economy.

To reduce the cost of minting coins, Emperor Yongzheng ordered the exploitation of copper from Yunnan and lead from Guizhou during his reign. The Qing government tightly monopolised the entire process of copper and lead production, procurement, and sales. As a result, domestic copper from Yunnan and lead from Guizhou were exclusively used for coinage, replacing previously imported foreign copper and Japanese lead as the primary materials for minting coins.

As a result of the currency reforms during the Yongzheng period, the cost of minting coins was significantly reduced in the subsequent Qianlong era. This allowed for an improvement in the exchange rate of one tael of silver to copper coins, increasing from the Yongzheng ratio of 1:700-800 to 1:900. The rise in the market value of copper coins and the corresponding increase in purchasing power had a positive impact on various social classes, including soldiers, officials, and craftsmen.

物件編號: A672

年代: 公元 1722-1735 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 26.1 x 25.8 x 0.9 mm

重量: 4.2 g

製造地: 寶源局

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是清朝第五任皇帝雍正在位期間(公元1722至1735年)，由中央單位工部所設立「寶源局」發行之「雍正通寶」，其外觀為方孔錢。

錢幣的外廓、內廓和中央的方孔十分清晰。正面的內廓鐫刻漢字楷書「雍正通寶」四字，背面的內廓則有滿文「ᠪᠣᡠ ᠶᡠᠸᠠᠨ」（寶源）二字。此枚銅幣的邊緣相較另枚同為「寶源局」更為寬闊。

寶泉局與寶源局為明、清兩朝鑄造錢幣的主要機構。清朝「寶源局」的設立，最早可追溯至順治元年(公元1644年)，當時為了鑄造「順治通寶」，分別設置戶部「寶泉局」和工部「寶源局」。戶部的寶泉局主要是制錢充軍餉，工部的寶源局則至鑄造錢幣給工程使用。

清朝前期由於造幣政策尚未為定制，雖有基本準則，仍多變動。因清朝以銀作為權錢，明定「每錢一千，值銀一兩」，然因銅錢鑄造配比、重量等易動，導致兩者兌換比例不穩定，嚴重影響商業與民生。因此，雍正皇帝在位期間為強化國家的財政，亦對貨幣制度進行改革。

規範了鑄幣的制度，改革康熙年間頻繁調整銅錢大小的問題。對於銅錢的重量、銅鉛配鑄的比例、鼓鑄用銅鉛的價格、各局鑄錢的卯數、物料以及爐匠工錢的支付都作了明確的規定，尤其改革銅錢鑄重為一錢二分，重量適中，成為定制，規範了鑄錢制度，結束了不同重量的銅錢並存於商品市場造成的交換繁難的局面，便利了貨幣的流通，有利於了商品經濟的發展。

為了降低了鑄錢成本，雍正時期下令開採滇銅、黔鉛，且因清政府高度壟斷了銅鉛的生產、收購以及銷售的整個過程 , 將所產滇銅、黔鉛悉數用於鑄錢, 取代過去進口洋銅、日本鉛成為鑄錢的主要原料。

因此，雍正時期對於錢幣的改革，使乾隆朝可用更低的成本鑄造錢幣，使得一兩白銀兌換錢幣的比例，從雍正1:700-800提升至1:900。市場的銅錢價格的成長，購買力的提升對士兵、官吏、工匠等不同階級帶來積極的影響。