Item number: A670

Year: AD 1735-1796

Material: Brass

Size: 22.6 x 22.6 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 4.3 g

Manufactured by: Bao Jin Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a Qianlong Tongbao coin issued by the Bao Jin Mint, established in Shanxi Province during the reign of Qianlong, the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty (AD 1735–1796). The coin features a square hole in the centre. 

Both the obverse and reverse outer rims are exceptionally well-preserved. The inner rim of the obverse is inscribed with the Chinese characters “乾隆通寶” (Qianlong Tongbao), while the inner rim of the reverse bears the Manchu script “ᠪᠣᡠ ᠵᡳᠨ” (Bao Jin).Compared to the other two Qianlong Tongbao made by Bao Jin Bureau in Legends Museum’s collection, this piece, despite its incomplete inscription, features the most refined craftsmanship and the thinnest script among the three.

The Bao Jin Bureau was established in the 7th year of the Yongzheng reign (AD 1729 ) with the purpose of stabilising coin prices and providing military pay. The primary material used for minting at that time came from old bronze artifacts, and due to the limited supply, production ceased after only two years. Although permission was granted in the 13th year of Qianlong zheng’s reign (AD 1735) to purchase existing bronze objects for coin production, the efforts were unsustainable. Consequently, the operations of the Bao Jin Bureau during the Yongzheng period were marked by intermittent production due to a shortage of bronze materials.

物件編號: A670

年代: 公元 1735-1796 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 22.6 x 22.6 x 1.3 mm

重量: 4.3 g

製造地: 寶晉局

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是清朝第六任皇帝乾隆在位期間(公元1735至1796年)，於山西省所設立「寶晉局」發行之「乾隆通寶」，其外觀為方孔錢。

錢幣正反面的外廓皆十分清晰。正面的內廓鐫刻漢字「乾隆通寶」；背面的內廓則鐫刻滿文「ᠪᠣᡠ ᠵᡳᠨ」（寶晉）二字。相較於其他兩枚本館收藏乾隆寶晉局的通寶，此枚通寶滿文字體最為精緻，且字體為三者中最細。

「寶晉局」成立於雍正7年（公元1729年），其設立目的為平抑錢價和搭放兵餉。當時主要鑄銅的材料來自於舊銅器，因數量有限，僅發行兩年便停止鑄造。後雍正13年(公元1735年)雖再次準許收購現存銅器，製造銅幣，然無法持續。因此雍正時期寶晉局因銅料缺發，導致寶晉局時開時停。