Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
Qing Dynasty,
Qianlong Tongbao,
Bao Je Bureau
清
乾隆通寶
寶浙局造
Item number: A718
Year: AD 1747-1794
Material: Brass
Size: 24.1 x 24.1 x 1.1 mm
Weight: 4.2 g
Manufactured by: Bao Je Bureau
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is a “Qianlong Tongbao” coin issued during the reign of the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong (AD 1735–AD 1796), by the Bao Je Bureau in Zhejiang Province. It has the characteristic appearance of a square-holed coin.
The outer rim, inner rim, and central square hole of the coin are well-defined. The inner rim on the obverse side is engraved with the four Chinese characters “乾隆通寶” (Qianlong Tongbao). On the reverse side, the inner rim is inscribed in Manchu script with the characters “ᠪᠣᠣ ᠵᡝ” (Bao Je).
The Bao Je Bureau was initially established in the 6th year of the Shunzhi reign (AD 1649) and managed by the Zhejiang Provincial Administration Commissioner. It was originally named the “Zhejiang Provincial Bureau,” but during the Yongzheng period, all mints were renamed with the character “Bao” to standardize the naming convention. During the Qing Dynasty, currency was issued by various regional mints, with adjustments to production, such as adding, suspending, or reducing the number of furnaces, to regulate currency circulation. Due to an insufficient copper supply in Zhejiang, operations at the Bao Je Bureau were sporadic. It was re-established in the 5th year of the Qianlong reign, though production was halted for two years in the interim. However, following the Jiaqing period, rising imperial expenditures led to the continued operation of the Bao Je Bureau, which remained active in coin production until the Guangxu period.