Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
Qing Dynasty,
Qianlong Tongbao,
Bao Nan Bureau
(Manchu Script Version 1)
清
乾隆通寶
寶南局造
(滿文字體一版)
Item number: A743
Year: AD 1735-1796
Material: Brass
Size: 24.1 x 24.1 x 1.1 mm
Weight: 3.65 g
Manufactured by: Bao Nan Bureau
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is a “Qianlong Tongbao” issued by the Bao Nan Bureau located in Hunan Province during the reign of the sixth Qing Emperor, Qianlong, from AD 1735 to AD 1796. The coin features a square hole and is characterised by its square-shaped design.
The outline, inner contour, and central square hole of the coin are distinctly clear. The inner contour on the obverse is inscribed with the Chinese characters “乾隆通寶” (Qianlong Tongbao), while the inner contour on the reverse is inscribed with the Manchu characters “ᠪᠣᠣ ᠨᠠᠨ” (Bao Nan). The inscriptions are significantly worn, with the Chinese character “隆” and the lower half of the Manchu character “ᠪᠣᠣ” being almost completely eroded.
Compared to the other four Bao Nan Bureau copper coins in Legends Museum’s collection, this specimen has the best proportion and presentation of Manchu characters and exhibits a superior aesthetic quality in its calligraphy.
The Bao Nan Bureau, also known as the Changsha Prefecture Bureau, was established in the 6th year of the Kangxi reign (AD 1667) and operated intermittently. By the 15th year of the Qianlong reign (AD 1750), with the stabilisation of copper mining in Hunan Province, the Bao Nan Bureau began to mint coins using locally sourced copper. The Qing government, by utilizing locally mined copper and lowering the purchase price, significantly increased the profitability of coin production, thereby amassing substantial amounts of minted silver.