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Qing Dynasty,
Qianlong Tongbao,
Bao Yong Bureau
(Privately Minted Version)
清
乾隆通寶
寶雲局造
(私鑄版)
Item number: A644
Year: AD 1736-1796
Material: Brass
Size: 21.2 x 21.2 x 0.7 mm
Weight: 2.05 g
Manufactured by: Bao Yong Bureau
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is the ” Qianlong Tongbao,” issued by the “Bao Yong Bureau,” established in Yunnan during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty (AD 1735–AD 179). The coin features a square hole design.
The outer rim, inner rim, and central square hole of the coin are heavily worn, with a small section even missing. The inner rim on the obverse side is engraved with the four Chinese characters “乾隆通寶” (Qianlong Tongbao), while the reverse side bears the Manchu inscription “ᠪᠣᡠ ᠶᠣᠩ” (Bao Yong).
In the Qing Dynasty, most coins did not explicitly indicate their denominations but were distinguished by size and weight. The typical cash had a diameter ranging from 24.2 to 28.0 mm and weighed between 3.8 and 4.2 g. This Qianlong Tongbao coin, however, has a diameter of 21.2 mm and weighs only 2.05 g. Given the significant prevalence of private minting during the Qianlong period, it is speculated that this coin may be a privately minted piece.
The “Bao Yong Bureau,” located in Yunnan, was a mint established during the Shunzhi period. Yunnan was a significant source of copper ore for the Qing Dynasty, with the locally produced copper known as “Tián copper”(滇銅), serving as a crucial material for minting copper coins.