Item number: A1079

Year: AD 1503-1507

Material: Bronze

Size: 24.0 x 24.2 x 1.0 mm

Weight: 3.45 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a “Hongzhi Tongbao” coin, minted during the reign of the tenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Xiaozong, using his era name “Hongzhi.” The coin follows the typical square-holed design. On the obverse side, the four characters “Hongzhi Tongbao” (弘治通寶) are inscribed in running script in the sequence of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side is plain, without any inscriptions or designs. Due to wear over time, the boundaries of the coin’s outer and inner rims have been smoothed down.

The “Hongzhi Tongbao” coins can be categorised into two types based on the script style used: regular script and running script. Additionally, they can be further classified according to whether the “water” radical (氵) in the character “Zhi” (治) is connected or not. These variations provide a means to distinguish different die varieties of the coin.

Emperor Xiaozong of the Ming Dynasty began minting the “Hongzhi Tongbao” coins in the 16th year of his reign (AD 1503). However, due to his death two years later, the production of these coins was continued briefly by his successor, Emperor Wuzong, but it ceased in the 2nd year of the Zhengde era (AD 1507). As a result, the minting period for the “Hongzhi Tongbao” was less than four years, making these coins one of the rarer types among Ming Dynasty coinage.

物件編號: A1079

年代: 公元 1503-1507 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 24.0 x 24.2 x 1.0 mm

重量: 3.45 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚以明朝第十任皇帝明孝宗的年號，所鑄造之「弘治通寶」。錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢。錢幣正面按上、下、右、左的順序，依序以行書書法鐫刻漢字「弘治通寶」四字。錢幣背面則是光背，沒有任何文字和圖案，其外廓和內廓的邊界已經被磨平。

弘治通寶依照字體差異，分為楷書和行書兩種類型。除此之外，尚能依照「治」字的「水」部首有無連寫作為版型的劃分。

明孝宗於弘治16年 (公元1503年) 起，開始鑄造弘治通寶。然而明孝宗在兩年後就因病去世，繼位的明武宗雖然有持續鑄造，卻也於正德2年 (公元1507年)停止鑄造。弘治通寶的鑄造時間不足四年，為明朝歷代錢幣數量較為稀少的種類。