Item number: A545

Year: AD 1875-1908

Material: Brass

Size: 20.4 x 19.9 x 1.0 mm

Weight: 2.45 g

Manufactured by: Bao Zhi Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This coin is identified as a “Guangxu Tongbao,” distinguished by its centrally distorted square hole, which deviates from the standard shape. The coin also exhibits several imperfections, differing from the typical Guangxu Tongbao.

On the obverse, the coin’s central square hole is uneven, with its four corners displaying noticeable angular misalignment. Surrounding the square hole are the characters “Guangxu Tongbao,” with the top part of the character “Xu”(緒) slightly compressed by the bottom edge of the square, resulting in a somewhat irregular appearance. The right side of the outer rim also shows irregular flaws.

On the reverse side, the central square hole is similarly distorted, with angular discrepancies in the four corners. The characters “Bao Zhi” in Manchu script, indicating production by the Bao Zhi Bureau, are inscribed on either side of the coin. The outer rim on the left side is severely damaged, forming an uneven arc.

During the Yongzheng period, the court established the principle of one bureau per province, with the Bao Zhi Bureau in Zhili Province being officially named in the 7th year of Yongzheng (AD 1729). However, the bureau was not operational until the 12th year of Qianlong (AD 1747 ), when it officially began coin production.

The Bao Zhi Bureau continued its operations until the 25th year of Guangxu (AD 1899), when it ceased minting coins. Nonetheless, during the Tongzhi and Guangxu periods, the minting of coins was limited due to a shortage of copper, making production unprofitable.

Despite the presence of the Bao Zhi Bureau mark on the reverse side, the significant damage to the coin’s overall appearance, especially the central distorted square hole, raises the possibility that this coin could be a counterfeit.

物件編號: A545

年代: 公元 1875-1908 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 20.4 x 19.9 x 1.0 mm

重量: 2.45 g

製造地: 寶直局

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這枚錢幣為「光緒通寶」，其特點是中央扭曲的方孔，呈現不方整的形式。同時錢幣也有不少瑕疵，與標準的光緒通寶有所差距。

這枚錢幣正面中央有一不工整的方孔，這個方孔的四個角，呈現明顯的角度偏移。方孔四周可見「光緒通寶」四字，其中「緒」字上方還被方孔的底邊壓迫，形貌顯得有些齟齬。外圈右側還有不規則的瑕疵。錢幣反面中央也是一扭曲的方孔，四個角也有角度誤差。幣面兩側有滿文「寶直」字樣，表示為「寶直局」所製。外圈左側亦受損嚴重，為一凹凸不平的弧圈。

雍正年間，朝廷規定一省一鑄錢局的原則，而直隸省的寶直局最初定名於雍正7年(公元1729年)，但當時尚未設局開鑄。乾隆12年(公元1747年)，寶直局才正式開啟鑄錢工作，並到光緒25年（公元1899年），寶直局才正式卸下鑄錢任務。不過同治和光緒年間，由於銅料缺乏，甚至不敷成本而鑄造不多。

儘管這枚錢幣的背面，有官方造幣機構「寶直局」的字樣，但是由於整體外觀有顯著損傷，尤其中心還見一突兀而扭曲的方孔，因此不排除是偽造錢幣的可能。