Item number: A1110

Year: AD 1527-1567

Material: Brass

Size: 22.7 x 22.6 x 0.9 mm

Weight: 2.6 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a “Jiajing Tongbao” coin, minted from the 6th year of the Jiajing reign (AD 1527) under the Ming Emperor Zhu Houcong, also known as Emperor Shizong. The coin is of the typical square-hole design. However, the coin’s originally round outer rim has been polished into an octagonal shape, suggesting that it may have been repurposed as a decorative item.

The obverse side features four characters inscribed in regular script, arranged sequentially from top to bottom, right to left, spelling out “Jiajing Tongbao.”

The middle stroke of the character “嘉” is a sharply outward-slanting line; the left radical “立” in the character “靖” exhibits a noticeable tilt; the top right stroke of the character “通” features a prominent upward hook; and the character “寶” displays an intriguing “top-heavy, bottom-light” proportion.

The reverse side of the coin is blank, devoid of any inscriptions or patterns.

During the Jiajing reign, advancements in brass refining technology led to a significant shift from the previous practise of using bronze for coin minting.

The Jiajing Emperor, Zhu Houcong, followed the example set by the Hongwu Emperor, Zhu Yuanzhang, implementing a five-tiered coinage system. This system produced five different denominations: the standard “one-cash,” “two-cash,” “three-cash,” “five-cash,” and “ten-cash” coins, each varying in weight. Additionally, some versions of these coins featured inscribed denominations on the reverse side.

In a notable event, the mint in Dongchuan Prefecture, Yunnan, celebrated its establishment by producing an exceptionally large “Jiajing Tongbao” coin, measuring 57.8 cm in diameter and weighing 41.5 kg. This colossal coin holds the record as the largest square-hole coin ever produced in the world.

The Jiajing Emperor, the second-longest reigning emperor of the Ming Dynasty, is most renowned for the “Great Rites Controversy.” This conflict arose as he sought to posthumously elevate the status of his biological father, leading to a significant dispute with his ministers and eventually resulting in a purge of court officials who opposed him.

During the middle of his reign, the Jiajing Emperor became deeply immersed in Taoism and mystical practises, which diverted his attention from governance. This period of neglect coincided with increasing social unrest, as popular uprisings and rebellions began to occur more frequently across the empire.

物件編號: A1110

年代: 公元 1527-1567 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 22.7 x 22.6 x 0.9 mm

重量: 2.6 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚嘉靖6年(公元 1527年)起，明世宗朱厚熜以其年號所鑄造的「嘉靖通寶」。錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢。不過錢幣本身的圓形外廓經過打磨，成為或許是作為裝飾品的八邊形外觀。

錢幣正面按上、下、右、左的順序，以楷書書法鐫刻漢字「嘉靖通寶」四字。「嘉」字中間的筆劃為銳利外傾的斜線；「靖」字左側的部首「立」呈現一個明顯的傾斜；「通」字右側頂部的筆劃有一個顯著的勾起；「寶」字上下的部位則是「頭重腳輕」有趣的比例。

錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何圖案或文字。

嘉靖年間掌握提煉黃銅的技術，一改過去以青銅鑄幣的工藝。同時效法明太祖朱元璋的五等制，分別鑄造：小平錢、折二、折三、折五和當十，五種不同重量的錢幣，後續亦有出現背面帶有紀值文字的版本。雲南東川府則為慶祝鑄幣廠的落成，當時曾鑄造一枚直徑達57.8公分，重達41.5公斤的巨型嘉靖通寶，為世界上最大的方孔錢紀錄。

嘉靖皇帝為明朝在位時間第二長的皇帝，其生平最知名的事蹟為替生父爭取名分的「大禮議事件」跟大臣發生衝突，甚至演變為對於朝臣的清洗。嘉靖在統治中期沉迷於道教和法術，並且國內開始頻繁地出現民眾起義的譁變。