Item number: A517

Year: AD 1853-1861

Material: Brass

Size: 38.8 x 38.8 x 2.5 mm

Weight: 21.2 g

Manufactured by: Bao Su Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a “Xianfeng Chungbao” coin minted during the Xianfeng period, produced by the Bao Su Bureau, with a denomination of 10-cash. In the 3rd year of Xianfeng (AD 1853), the minting of large-denomination coins, including “Chungbao” and “Yuanbao,” began. During the production of Xianfeng Chungbao coins with a denomination of 10-cash, a total of 26 mints were involved in manufacturing, with materials including copper, iron, and lead.

The coin follows the typical form of square-holed currency. On the obverse, the four Chinese characters “Xianfeng Zhongbao” are inscribed in the sequence of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side features the denomination “當十” (10-Cash) engraved on the top and bottom, while the left and right sides bear the Manchu script “ᠪᠣᡠ ᠰᡠ” (Bao Su), indicating the bureau location as Suzhou. Compared to another coin in the museum’s collection, the Chinese characters on the obverse of this coin appear more elongated and elegant.

The Xianfeng period was one of the most chaotic times for Qing dynasty coinage, primarily due to the rapid spread of the Taiping Rebellion, which created an urgent need for military funding to suppress the uprising. In response, Emperor Xianfeng accelerated the production of currency by issuing coins with large denominations and reopening or establishing new mints that had been long inactive. As a result, the number of mints during the Xianfeng era reached 28, producing coins with denominations ranging from smaller values of four cash to as high as one thousand cash. This rapid expansion, however, also led to severe inflation within the empire.

The “Bao Su Bureau” was established in the 7th year of the Kangxi reign (AD 1688) following an imperial edict after the creation of Jiangsu Province. It was overseen by Tong Pengnian, who was then serving as the Provincial Administration Commissioner of Jiangsu. However, due to a shortage of copper in the region and the fact that transporting Tián copper (滇銅copper from Yunan) took three years round trip, minting at the Bao Su Bureau was intermittent. Coin production resumed in the 8th year of the Yongzheng reign (AD 1730). During the Qianlong, Jiaqing (江蘇), and Daoguang periods, the bureau’s operations were sporadic, halting completely when Tianjing (天京) fell during the Taiping Rebellion, after which minting resumed and continued until the end of the Guangxu era.

物件編號: A517

年代: 公元 1853-1861 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 38.8 x 38.8 x 2.5 mm

重量: 21.2 g

製造地: 寶蘇局

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚咸豐年間，江蘇鑄造的「咸豐重寶」，面額為十文錢。咸豐3年(公元1853年)，開始鑄造大面額的重寶和元寶。當十面額的咸豐重寶，總計有26間鑄錢局投入生產，材質則有銅、鐵和鉛三種。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢。錢幣正面按上、下、右、左的順序，依序鐫刻漢字「咸豐重寶」四字。錢幣背面的上下兩側鐫刻漢字面額「當十」，左右兩側是標示鑄造地點的滿文「ᠪᠣᡠ ᠰᡠ」(寶蘇)。跟本館收藏的另一枚錢幣相比，這枚錢幣正面的漢字較為修長和秀麗。

咸豐年間為清朝錢幣最為混亂的時期，主要原因是太平天國之亂的迅速蔓延，使得朝廷亟需軍費以平定叛亂。咸豐為加快籌錢的速度，一面鑄造大面額的錢幣，一面增設或恢復停工已久的鑄錢局，使得咸豐時期的鑄錢局達到28間，面額從較小的四文到一千文不等，卻也導致國內面臨嚴重的通貨膨脹。

「寶蘇局」的建立是在康熙7年(公元1688年)奉詔建立江蘇省後，由當時任職江蘇布政史的佟彭年負責。然因該地少銅，滇銅運送往返需三年，寶蘇局造幣間間斷斷，直到雍正8年(公元1730年)恢復鑄造。後續乾隆、嘉慶、道光年間寶蘇局時開時停，直到太平天國導致天京淪陷後，才再次開啟直到光緒末年。