Item number: A625

Year: AD 1735-1796

Material: Brass

Size: 19.7 x 19.6 x 0.4 mm

Weight: 1.25 g

Manufactured by: Bao Giyan Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a “Qianlong Tongbao” coin issued by the Bao Giyan Bureau in Guizhou Province during the reign of the sixth emperor of the Qing dynasty, Emperor Qianlong, who ruled from AD 1735 to AD 1796. The coin is of the square-holed variety.

The outer rim, inner rim, and central square hole of this coin are severely worn. The inner rim on the obverse is inscribed with the Chinese characters “Qianlong Tongbao” (乾隆通寶). The inner rim on the reverse bears the Manchu script “ᠪᠣᠣ ᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨ” (Boo Giyan).

In the Qing Dynasty, most coins did not explicitly indicate their denominations but were distinguished by size and weight. The typical cash had a diameter ranging from 24.2 to 28.0 mm and weighed between 3.8 and 4.2 g. This Qianlong Tongbao coin, however, has a diameter of 19.7 mm and weighs only 1.25 g. Furthermore, the script on the coin, whether in Manchu or Chinese, displays a loose structure and distorted proportions, indicating that it does not adhere to the official production style. Given the significant prevalence of private minting during the Qianlong period, it is speculated that this coin may be a privately minted piece.

Due to its low productivity and underdeveloped economy, Guizhou Province primarily conducted early trade using salt for smaller transactions and silver for larger ones. As a result, the Qing dynasty did not consider it necessary to establish a mint in Guizhou Province. However, in the 7th year of the Yongzheng reign (AD 1729), with the stabilisation of copper mining and the production of lead in Guizhou, the Bao Giyan Bureau was finally established.

The operations of the Bao Giyan Bureau were inconsistent, with production fluctuating in both frequency and volume. This was primarily due to two factors: First, when the market demand for coins exceeded supply, additional furnaces were established to increase production. Conversely, when demand decreased, furnace operations were reduced or halted altogether. Second, the price of raw materials, particularly copper, had a significant impact. The mint mainly relied on copper from Yunnan, purchasing 236,000 kilogrammes annually during the Qianlong period. If the price of Yunnan copper increased or transportation difficulties arose, coin production would be suspended.

The establishment of the Bao Giyan Bureau also altered the local currency usage, transitioning from the exclusive use of silver for trade and tax payments to a system where both copper and silver circulated together. Copper coins were introduced into the market through wage payments and transactions conducted by official money shops. However, according to the Statutes of the Great Qing, records show that during the Qianlong period, the Bao Giyan Bureau had the highest minting costs. To increase profits, the coins produced by the Bao Giyan Bureau often weighed less than the centrally mandated standard of 1.2 mace.

物件編號: A625

年代: 公元 1735-1796 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 19.7 x 19.6 x 0.4 mm

重量: 1.25 g

製造地: 寶黔局

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是清朝第六任皇帝乾隆在位期間(公元1735至1796年)，由貴州省「寶黔局」發行之「乾隆通寶」，其外觀為方孔錢。

錢幣的外廓、內廓和中央的方孔磨損嚴重。正面的內廓鐫刻漢字「乾隆通寶」四字。背面的內廓則鐫刻滿文「ᠪᠣᠣ ᡤᡳᠶᠠᠨ」（寶黔）二字。

清代的錢幣大多不會特別標示面額，僅用大小與重量作為區別，一般的小平錢大小為24.2 ~ 28.0 mm、重量為3.8 ~ 4.2 g，而此枚乾隆通寶的尺寸為19.7 mm，重量僅有1.25 g。此外，印幣的字體不論是滿文或漢文皆結構鬆散，比例扭曲，非官方所生產的樣式。由於乾隆時期私鑄幣現象十分嚴重，因此推測可能為私鑄幣。

貴州省由於生產力落後，經濟不發達。早期貿易，少則以鹽交易，多則使用銀錢。因此，清朝認為貴州沒有設立鑄幣廠的需求，直到雍正7年（公元1729年），因貴州銅礦的開採穩定並生產鉛礦，始設立寶黔局。

然寶黔局的營運時鑄時停，產量時多時少，主要原因有二：一、若錢幣市場供不應求，即增設爐座；反之，需求減少，減爐減鑄，甚至停產。二、受到原料銅礦價格影響，並以滇銅使用為主，在乾隆年間每年購買23.6萬斤的滇銅。若滇銅價格提升，或採運困難的問題，將導致停鑄。

寶黔局的設立也改變當地貨幣的使用習慣，從過去使用銀錢作貿易、稅收支付的工具，轉變為銅銀並行。並且透過發放薪餉和官錢舖買賣的方式將銅錢流通於市場。不過從《大清會典》錢本記載中，可見清乾隆朝時期寶黔局鑄幣成本最高。寶黔局為了擴大利潤，其生產的貨幣重量常不足中央定制1.2錢的標準。