Item number: A970

Year: AD 1667-1670 / 1683-1700

Material: Brass

Size: 24.8 x 24.8 x 0.7 mm

Weight: 2.9 g

Manufactured by: Hunan Province Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This coin is a circulating currency piece from the reign of the third Qing Emperor, Kangxi (AD 1661-AD 1722), minted in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province. It bears the inscription “Kangxi Tongbao.”

The coin has a typical square-holed design and is made of brass, with a red patina covering its surface. The obverse side is inscribed with the four Chinese characters “Kangxi Tongbao” in the order of top, bottom, right, and left. On the reverse side, the left and right sides are marked with the Manchu script “ᠨᠠᠨ” and the Chinese character “Nan,” indicating the minting location as Fuzhou.

During the Kangxi period, in addition to the centrally administered mints of the “Bao Quan Bureau” and the “Bao Yuan Bureau,” 24 regional mints were established across various provinces.

The Hunan Province Bureau was established in the 6th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1667). After operating for four years, it ceased production and did not resume until the 22nd year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1683). However, following its reopening, the mint’s coin quality was significantly poor, leading to an official order to cease operations again in the 39th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1700).

物件編號: A970

年代: 公元 1667-1670 / 1683-1700 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 24.8 x 24.8 x 0.7 mm

重量: 2.9 g

製造地: 湖南省局

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

此硬幣為清朝第三任皇帝康熙年間(公元1661-1722年)，於湖南省省會長沙鑄造的流通貨幣「康熙通寶」。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢，材質為黃銅，通體包裹著紅色包漿。錢幣正面按上、下、右、左順序，依序鐫刻漢字「康熙通寶」四字。錢幣背面的左右兩側，分別以滿文「᠋ᠨᠠᠨ」和漢字「南」標示錢幣的鑄造地點。

康熙年間，隸屬中央的「寶泉局」和「寶源局」之外，各地方亦先後設立鑄錢局24處。湖南省局成立於康熙6年(公元1667年)，經營四年後一度停止鑄造，直到康熙22年(公元1683年)才恢復量產。然而復工後的品質甚為惡劣，使其在康熙39年(公元1700年)又遭勒令停業。