Item number: A1250

Year: AD 1355-1366

Material: Copper

Size: 23.31 x 23.01 mm

Weight: 2.99 g

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2016

This is a “Longfeng Tongbao” coin from the late Yuan Dynasty, during the reign of Han Liner. The coin is round with a square hole in the centre, crafted neatly and relatively thick. Its specifications are similar to the Yuan Dynasty’s Zhizheng Tongbao coins. The obverse features the inscription “Longfeng Tongbao” in four characters, while the reverse is blank. The calligraphy is formal and the characters are well-proportioned.

In the late Yuan Dynasty, due to economic collapse and political corruption, the common people suffered greatly, leading to widespread uprisings. Various warlords in different regions rose up to resist Yuan rule. In AD 1351, Han Shantong led the White Lotus Sect in an uprising in Henan. Since his followers wore red headbands for identification, they became known as the “Red Turban Army.” After Han Shantong was captured and executed, his subordinates continued to lead the Red Turban Army and repeatedly defeated Yuan forces. By AD 1355, the Red Turban Army had captured Haozhou and declared Han Shantong’s son, Han Lin Er, as the ruler, calling him the “Little Ming King.” The state was named the Great Song, with the era title Longfeng. The “Longfeng Tongbao” coin was issued by this regime.

The “Longfeng Tongbao” coins come in three denominations: Xiaoping(1 cash), Zhe’er(2 cash), and Zhe’san(3 cash). Additionally, because the Yuan Dynasty issued paper money and prohibited the minting of copper coins, the general public became increasingly dissatisfied with paper currency. As a result, various uprisings in the late Yuan Dynasty, including the regime that issued the “Longfeng Tongbao,” minted copper coins as their currency.

物件編號: A1250

年代: 公元 1355-1366 年

材質: 銅

尺寸: 23.31 x 23.01 mm

重量: 2.99 g

來源: 大城郵幣社 2016

這是一枚出自元末韓林兒政權的「龍鳳通寶」，錢幣為圓形，中間有方形穿孔，製作工整，比較厚重，其規制同元代至正通寶，錢幣正面書有「龍鳳通寶」四字，背面則無字，其文字書法恭謹、字體端正。

元代末期，由於經濟崩潰、政治黑暗，百姓民不聊生，因而叛亂四起，群雄紛紛於各地率眾反抗元朝的統治。公元1351年，韓山童率白蓮教眾在河南起事，由於其部屬皆纏紅巾做為識別，因而又被稱作是紅巾軍，之後韓山童被捕並遭殺害，其手下率領紅巾軍屢次擊敗元軍，至公元1355年，紅巾軍佔領毫州，並擁立韓山童之子子韓林兒，稱其為「小明王」，國號大宋、年號龍鳳，「龍鳳通寶」即是此政權所發行之貨幣。

「龍鳳通寶」有三種幣值，分別是小平、折二、折三，此外因為元朝推行紙幣、禁鑄銅錢，導致人民對紙幣普遍感到反感，因此包括「龍鳳通寶」在內，元末各地起事政權皆是鑄造銅錢作為貨幣。