Item number: A569

Year: AD 1796-1820

Material: Brass

Size: 24.2 x 24.1 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 4.55 g

Manufactured by: Bao Quan Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This coin is a square-holed cash coin, adhering to the traditional concept of “heavenly round and earthly square.” The obverse features a central square hole, with the four characters “Jiaqing Tongbao” (嘉慶通寶) inscribed in regular script around it, meant to be read top to bottom and right to left. The reverse side also has a central square hole, with smaller Manchu script on either side that reads “ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᡳᠣᠸᠠᠨ” (Bao Quan), indicating that it was minted at the Bao Quan Bureau. Both sides of the coin exhibit noticeable wear marks around the edges.

The Bao Quan Bureau was a minting institution during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Initially established as a local minting institution in the early Ming dynasty, it later became a central minting institution under the Ministry of Revenue during the late Ming and early Qing periods. Its status gradually surpassed that of the Bao Yuan Bureau, which was under the Ministry of Works.

During the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, several reforms were undertaken to strengthen the country’s finances, specifically targeting the Bao Quan Bureau. For example, to centralise power and reduce deficits, Yongzheng needed ample funds to support his reforms. Thus, in the fourth year of Yongzheng’s reign (AD 1726), he significantly increased the minting capacity of the Bao Quan Bureau, expanding it from one workshop to four and dispersing the furnaces to minimise fire damage.

In the period of Guangxu, influenced by modern minting techniques, China gradually began mechanised coin production to meet the substantial market demand across the country. However, as the Qing Dynasty’s central Bureau, the Bao Quan Bureau faced challenges in implementing large-scale standardised coin production, coupled with significant financial losses, leading to its eventual closure.

Nonetheless, due to the continued dominance of traditional coins in circulation, the Bao Quan Bureau was not immediately abolished. Instead, a phased approach was adopted to mitigate the currency demand during the transition period. It was not until the second year of the Xuantong reign (AD 1910) that the Bao Quan Bureau fully withdrew from its centuries-long minting responsibilities.

物件編號: A569

年代: 公元 1796-1820 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 24.2 x 24.1 x 1.3 mm

重量: 4.55 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

這枚錢幣是一方孔錢錢幣，整體形制符合傳統天圓地方的觀念。該錢幣正面的中央有一方孔，幣面四周有楷書「嘉慶通寶」四字對讀。錢幣反面的中央亦有一方孔，幣面兩側則有滿文「ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᡳᠣᠸᠠᠨ」(寶泉)字樣，字體稍小，表示為「寶泉局」所製。錢幣正反面的外圍皆有明顯的擦痕。

寶泉局是明清兩代的鑄幣機構，明初原先為地方鑄幣機構，後來在明末清初時，成為隸屬戶部的中央造幣機構，且其地位逐步高於工部的寶源局。到了雍正年間，為強化國家的財政，又針對寶泉局進行過多次改革。例如，為了強化中央集權和減少虧空，必須有充足的資金作為改革的後盾。因此雍正4年(公元1726年)，大幅增加寶泉局的鑄造能量，從一間工坊提升為四間，並且將火爐分散降低火災造成的損害。

直至光緒年間，中國受到近代造幣技術影響，逐漸展開機制鑄幣工作，以因應各地龐大的市場需求。作為清朝中央造幣機構的寶泉局，因無法推展大規模的標準化鑄錢工作，加上虧損甚多，面臨裁撤的命運。

不過，由於當時市面的通貨仍以舊式錢幣為主，故寶泉局未被立即廢除，而是採取階段性撤除的方式，以緩解過渡時期的貨幣需求。至宣統二年(公元1910年)，寶泉局才全身而退，卸下數百年的鑄幣任務。