Item number: A1067-1

Year: AD 1661-1662 / 1667-1671

Material: Brass

Size: 27.7 x 27.5 x 1.0 mm

Weight: 4.3 g

Manufactured by: Jizhou Town Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This coin was a circulating currency known as “Kangxi Tongbao,” minted during the reign of the third emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Kangxi, spanning from AD 1661 to AD 1722. It was produced at the coin mint in Jizhou Town, Zhili Province.

The coin is circular with a square hole in the center, primarily made of brass. The outer part of the coin forms two concentric circles, with the outer circle in a brass color, smooth and without any patterns. The upper half of the coin’s obverse and the entire reverse side are covered with a black patina. The inner circle on the obverse side, surrounding the square hole, features the inscription “Kangxi Tongbao” in regular script at the top, bottom, right, and left in sequence. On the reverse side, centred around the square hole, the minting location is inscribed with Manchu script “ᡷᡳ” on the left and the Chinese character “Ji” on the right, indicating that the coin was minted in Jizhou.

Compared to other coins in the museum’s collection, the Manchu script “ᡷᡳ” on this coin appears more slender, and its overall shape resembles a claw.

During the Kangxi era, in addition to the central mints “Bao Quan Bureau” and “Bao Yuan Bureau,” a total of 24 regional mints were established. Located in the area of present-day Tianjin, the “Jizhou Town Bureau,” abbreviated as the “Bao Ji Bureau,” has a history that can be traced back to the Tianqi period of the Ming Dynasty. It was primarily responsible for minting coins to supply military pay for the northern armies. After the Manchus entered China and established the Qing Dynasty, the bureau continued its operations, adhering to the old system, although it experienced several periods of closure over time.

In the 18th year of the Shunzhi reign (AD 1661), after Kangxi ascended the throne, various regional mints, including the Bao Ji Bureau, received samples and began minting Kangxi Tongbao coins. However, in the following year, the 1st year of the Kangxi reign (AD 1662), a new policy retained only the Jiangning Bureau in Nanjing at the local level, temporarily closing all other regional mints. It was not until the 6th year of Kangxi (AD 1667) that the Bao Ji Bureau was granted approval by the Ministry of Revenue to resume operations. Nonetheless, in the 10th year of Kangxi (AD 1671), it received another order to cease operations, and no further Kangxi Tongbao coins were minted thereafter. In the 61st year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1722), after the imperial court implemented a new policy allowing only one minting bureau per province, the Bao Ji Bureau was abolished and thus faded into history.

物件編號: A1067-1

年代: 公元 1661-1662 / 1667-1671 年

材料: 黃銅

尺寸: 27.7 x 27.5 x 1.0 mm

重量: 4.3 g

製造地: 薊州鎮局

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)，於直隸省薊州鎮的鑄錢局鑄造之流通貨幣「康熙通寶」。

錢幣呈圓形，中間有一方孔，主要材質為黃銅。錢幣外觀為一雙同心圓，外圓呈黃銅色，光滑無圖案；內圓鐫字部分呈黑褐色。錢幣正面上半部和背面整面為黑色包漿覆蓋。正面的內圓以方孔為中心，於上、下、右、左處以楷書依序鐫刻「康熙通寶」四字。背面亦以方孔為中心，於其左右兩側，分別以滿文「ᡷᡳ」和漢文「薊」鐫刻鑄造地。

相較本館其他收藏，這枚錢幣的滿文「ᡷᡳ」較為纖細，其整體體態看起來像是一隻爪子。

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。位處今日天津一帶的「薊州鎮局」，簡稱為「寶薊局」其歷史能上溯至明朝天啟年間，主要承擔供應北方軍餉的鑄錢任務。滿州人入關建立清朝後，延續舊制維持運作而中間也曾歷經數次停業。

康熙於順治18年(公元1661年)登基後，寶薊局在內的各地方鑄錢局收到樣本，開爐鑄造康熙通寶。然而隔年的康熙元年(公元1662年)，新政策僅在地方上保留位處南京的江寧局，其餘各地的鑄錢局皆暫時關閉。直到康熙6年(公元1667年)，寶薊局經中央的戶部批准重新開工。不過在康熙10年(公元1671年)，再度收到停工的命令，後續不再鑄造康熙通寶。康熙61年(公元1722年)，朝廷通過一省僅保留一鑄錢局的新政策後，寶薊局遭到裁撤就此走入歷史。