Item number: A655

Year: AD 1796-1820

Material: Brass

Size: 21.7 x 21.7 x 0.9 mm

Weight: 2.35 g

Manufactured by: Bao Chang Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a “Jiaqing Tongbao” coin, minted during the Jiaqing period by the Bao Chang Bureau in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. The coin follows the typical square-holed design and is made of brass, with a surface covered in a red patina. On the obverse side, the four Chinese characters “Jiaqing Tongbao” are inscribed in sequence from top, bottom, right, to left, though most details have become blurred. The reverse side displays the Manchu script “ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᠠᠩ” (Bao Chang) on the left and right, indicating the minting authority. Weighing only 2.35 g, and with inscriptions that appear crudely executed, this coin was likely minted privately. Compared to other provinces, the scale of illicit minting in Jiangxi was relatively small.

The Bao Chang Bureau was established in the 4th year of the Shunzhi reign (AD 1647). However, due to the lack of copper, lead, zinc, and other raw materials needed for minting in Jiangxi, as well as the shortage of skilled craftsmen in the region, the bureau experienced several interruptions in production. It wasn’t until the 1st year of the Jiaqing reign (AD 1796) that operations resumed.

After Jiaqing ascended to the throne following his father Qianlong’s abdication, he faced a massive financial crisis left behind by his predecessor. To address this, Jiaqing allowed the continued use of silver by the populace while simultaneously working to improve the quality of minted coins. As a result, the quality of “Jiaqing Tongbao” coins was notably superior and more standardised compared to the coins minted during the later years of Qianlong’s reign, with the weight officially set at 1 Mace 2 Candareens.

However, Jiaqing’s financial reforms were disrupted by frequent uprisings led by secret societies such as the White Lotus and Tianli sects. These disturbances undermined his efforts, leading to widespread private minting and even official adulteration of coinage, which in turn caused rampant inflation. In response, Jiaqing issued an edict permitting provinces lacking copper resources to suspend coin production. If they were to continue minting coins, the weight had to be strictly maintained at 1 Mace 2 Candareens. Consequently, many provinces ceased production, leading to a reduction in the circulation of copper coins and a subsequent stabilisation of prices.

物件編號: A655

年代: 公元 1796-1820 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 21.7 x 21.7 x 0.9 mm

重量: 2.35 g

製造地: 寶昌局

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚嘉慶年間，江西省南昌的寶昌局鑄造的「嘉慶通寶」。錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢，材質為黃銅，表面為紅色包漿覆蓋。錢幣正面按上、下、右、左的順序，依序鐫刻漢字「嘉慶通寶」四字，細節多已模糊不清。錢幣背面的左右兩側，以滿文「ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᠠᠩ」(寶昌) 兩字標示鑄造單位。這枚錢幣重量僅有2.35克，且銘文較為草率，應該為民間私下所鑄造。江西省相較其他省份，其私自鑄幣的規模較小。

寶昌局成立於順治4年(公元1647年)，由於江西本地不產鑄幣所需的銅鉛鋅等原料，加之本地缺乏足夠的工匠，使得中間歷經數次停工，於嘉慶元年(公元1796年)方才再度復工。

嘉慶接受父親乾隆的禪讓登基為皇帝之後，面對父親留下的龐大財務危機，嘉慶一面聽任民眾使用白銀，另一方面整頓鑄幣的品質，使得嘉慶通寶的品質較乾隆末期的錢幣來得精美和規範，重量規定為一錢二分。然而嘉慶年間，國內頻繁出現白蓮教和天理教等祕密結社的叛亂，使得嘉慶的金融整頓努力只得半途而廢，各地又出現私鑄和官方偷工減料使得物價飛漲。這些因素迫使嘉慶上諭，缺乏銅礦的省份得以自行停鑄，若要繼續鑄幣則重量需要足一錢二分。因此各省紛紛停鑄，使得市面上的銅錢數量減少，方才使物價逐漸回穩。