Item number: A518

Year: AD 1853

Material: Copper

Size: 54.9 x 54.9 x 4.3 mm

Weight: 54.3 g

Manufactured by: Bao Quan Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a “Xianfeng Yuanbao” coin minted during the Xianfeng period by the Bao Quan Bureau, which was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue in the capital. The denomination of the coin is 50-cash. In the 3rd year of Xianfeng (AD 1853), the minting of large-denomination coins, including “Chungbao” and “Yuanbao,” began, with denominations exceeding one hundred referred to as “Yuanbao.”

Due to difficulties in circulation, coins with denominations of fifty or higher were only issued for one year before production was halted. During the production of Xianfeng Yuanbao coins with a denomination of 500-cash, a total of 9 mints were involved in manufacturing, with materials including copper, iron, and lead.

The coin follows the typical square-holed design and has a notably heavy weight, with its entire surface exhibiting a reddish hue. On the obverse, the four Chinese characters “Xianfeng Yuanbao” are inscribed in the sequence of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side features the denomination “當五百” (500-cash) engraved on the top and bottom, while the left and right sides display the Manchu script “ᠪᠣᡠ ᠴᡳᠣᠸᠠᠨ” (Bao Quan), indicating the Bao Quan Bureau as the issuing authority. Due to its age, the inscriptions on both sides are somewhat worn and unclear.

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.

物件編號: A518

年代: 公元 1853 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 54.9 x 54.9 x 4.3 mm

重量: 54.3 g

製造地: 寶泉局

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，京師負責財政的戶部下轄之寶泉局鑄造的「咸豐元寶」，面額為五百文錢。咸豐3年(公元1853年)，開始鑄造大面額的重寶和元寶，面額超過一百者稱為元寶。由於面額五十以上的錢幣流通不易，故僅發行一年就宣告停鑄。當五百面額的咸豐元寶，總計有9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，重量十分厚實，通體為紅色。錢幣正面按上、下、右、左的順序，依序鐫刻漢字「咸豐元寶」四字。錢幣背面的上下兩側鐫刻漢字面額「當五百」，左右兩側是標示鑄造單位的滿文「ᠪᠣᡠ ᠴᡳᠣᠸᠠᠨ」(寶泉)。

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。