Item number: A1090

Year: AD 1887-1900

Material: Brass

Size: 18.3 x 18.0 x 0.8 mm

Weight: 1.3 g

Manufactured by: Bao Jin Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This coin is a “Guangxu Tongbao.” Its weight is below the standard specification, and there are several defects around the square hole and in the inscriptions on the coin’s surface.

This is a square-holed coin. On the obverse side, there is a square hole at the centre, surrounded by the four characters “Guangxu Tongbao”. The reverse side also features a square hole at the centre, with Manchu script on both sides reading “Bao Jin,” indicating that it was minted by the Bao Jin Bureau. The reverse side of the coin also features a prominent dot at the top. The coin’s obverse and reverse exhibit uneven colouration, with the inscriptions showing signs of erosion. Additionally, the slopes around the square hole display noticeable deterioration.

The Bao Jin Bureau was established during the Qing Dynasty’s Self-Strengthening Movement, as part of a series of modernisation measures. It represented a significant stage in the transition of minting techniques to mechanised production. In the 12th year of Guangxu (AD 1886), Prince Yixuan and others petitioned the court to establish a mechanised minting factory. The following year, the Bao Jin Bureau was founded, under the jurisdiction of the the Tianjin Arsenal.

Due to the initial lack of advanced mechanised technology, the Guangxu Tongbao minted by the Bao Jin Bureau, were produced using both the old and new methods. This Guangxu Tongbao coin was minted by the old method. According to an imperial decree issued in the 13th year of the Guangxu reign (AD 1887), all provinces were required to mint Tongbao coins with a standard weight of “one mace.” However, this particular Guangxu Tongbao coin falls significantly short of the standard weight.

Additionally, there are noticeable defects around the square hole, raising the possibility that it was either privately counterfeited or produced with substandard materials by official mints.

物件編號: A1090

年代: 公元 1887-1900 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 18.3 x 18.0 x 0.8 mm

重量: 1.3 g

製造地: 寶津局

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這枚錢幣是「光緒通寶」。其重量小於標準尺寸，方孔周圍和幣面文字也多有瑕疵。

這枚錢幣是一方孔錢錢幣。該錢幣正面的中央有一方孔，幣面四周有楷書「光緒通寶」四字。錢幣反面的中央亦有一方孔，幣面兩側則有滿文「寶津」字樣，表示為「寶津局」所製。背面上方還有一明顯的圓點。錢幣正反面的成色皆不均勻，文字有磨蝕痕跡，甚至方孔四周的坡度也有明顯殘缺。

「寶津局」是清朝自強運動時期，一系列洋務措施的其中一環，是製幣技術向機器鑄造過渡的重要階段。光緒12年(公元1886年)，醇親王奕譞等人奏請朝廷設立機鑄錢幣工廠，隨即於隔年成立寶津局，並隸屬於天津機器製造局。

然而，由於起初機製技術未見精良，因此寶津局所鑄光緒通寶，含有舊法和新法鑄造的錢幣。這枚光緒通寶是利用舊法鑄造的錢幣。而按照光緒13年(公元1887年)朝廷的命令，各省應鑄造重量「一錢」的通寶制錢，但是這枚光緒通寶的重量卻遠不及標準重量；加上這枚錢幣方孔周圍亦有顯著的缺失，因此不排除是私人偽造或官方偷工減料所造。