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 Yong Bureau
(Manchu Script Version 1)
清
乾隆通寶
寶雲局造
(滿文字體一版)
Item number: A648
Year: AD 1736-1796
Material: Brass
Size: 26.2 x 26.3 x 1.2 mm
Weight: 4.65 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 1796). The coin features a square hole design.
The outer rim, inner rim, and central square hole of the coin are exceptionally well-defined. 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), with slight wear visible on the left side.
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. Due to regional advantages, coins produced by the Bao Yong Bureau generally had a larger and thicker composition compared to those from other mints. While the official standard for copper coins was 1.2 mace (approximately 4.5 g), this particular coin weighs 4.65 g.