Item number: A679-1

Year: AD 1735-1796

Material: Brass

Size: 23.8 x 23.7 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 4.15 g

Manufactured by: Bao Chuan Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This coin is a Qianlong Tongbao issued by the Bao Chuan Bureau of Sichuan Province during the reign of the sixth Qing Emperor, Qianlong (1735 to 1796). It is a square-holed cash coin with a design that is both clear and detailed.

The coin features precise outer and inner rims, as well as a well-defined central square hole. On the obverse side, the inner rim is inscribed with the four Chinese characters “乾隆通寶” (Qianlong Tongbao). On the reverse side, the inner rim bears the Manchu script “ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᡠᠸᠠ” (Boo Cuwa), signifying Bao Chuan. The calligraphy is highly legible and exhibits exquisite craftsmanship. Compared to another Qianlong Tongbao from the Bao Chuan Bureau in the museum’s collection, this coin demonstrates a more refined and slender style of Manchu script.

The Bao Chuan Bureau, established during the Yongzheng reign, was the sole provincial mint in Sichuan and was located in Chengdu Prefecture. It operated from the Yongzheng era through the prosperous reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, continuing until the Guangxu period—a span of 172 years. The bureau produced a wide variety of coins, including traditional one cash (small denomination coins), large coins, and later modern silver and copper coins. These coins circulated extensively across Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu, and other regions in western China.

During the Qianlong era, the Baochuan Mint reached its developmental peak, achieving significant advancements in coin production, administrative systems, and regional influence. In the early years of the Qianlong reign, as Sichuan’s copper resources stabilised, the Baochuan Mint underwent substantial expansion, increasing the number of furnaces to 30 and achieving an annual coin output of 150,000 to 170,000 strings. This required approximately 700,000 catties of Sichuan copper annually. Beyond meeting Sichuan’s internal demand, the mint also supported neighbouring provinces such as Shaanxi and Gansu by supplying currency.

The Qing government placed considerable emphasis on the management and operational efficiency of the Bao Chuan Mint during the Qianlong period. The primary materials used for minting coins included locally sourced copper from Sichuan, white lead and black lead from other provinces, and a small quantity of tin procured from Yunnan. Through a judicious combination of these materials, the quality and durability of the coins were significantly enhanced. To further optimise production efficiency, the Bao Chuan Mint introduced a mechanism for recycling and re-melting old coins during the mid-to-late Qianlong period, which markedly reduced wastage of copper resources.

The establishment and operation of the Bao Chuan Bureau not only advanced Sichuan’s economic and financial systems but also met local monetary demands while frequently supplying coinage to neighboring provinces. The bureau’s production volume and quality were among the best in the nation, making significant contributions to the Qing dynasty’s monetary system.

物件編號: A679-1

年代: 公元 1735-1796 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 23.8 x 23.7 x 1.3 mm

重量: 4.15 g

製造地: 寶川局

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)，由四川省的「寶川局」發行之「乾隆通寶」，其外觀為方孔錢。

錢幣的外廓、內廓和中央的方孔十分清晰。正面的內廓鐫刻漢字「乾隆通寶」四字，背面的內廓則鐫刻滿文「ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᡠᠸᠠ」（寶川）二字。字體呈現十分完整，且製作精美。相較於本館藏的另一枚寶川局的乾隆通寶，滿文字體呈現較精煉、字型較瘦。

寶川局是清代四川唯一的省級鑄錢機構，設立於成都府，始於雍正年間，歷經康雍乾盛世至光緒年間，延續172年。局內鑄造的錢幣涵蓋了清代的平錢、大錢，以及近代銀元與銅元等多種類型，廣泛流通於四川、陝西、甘肅等西部地區。寶川局的設立與運營不僅促進了四川的經濟金融發展，還在滿足地方需求的同時，多次支援鄰省的錢幣供應。其鑄錢量與質量在全國省局中居於前列，對清代的貨幣制度具有重要意義。

乾隆年間是寶川局的發展高峰期，其鑄錢量、管理制度與地域影響均達到新高度。乾隆初期，因四川銅礦資源逐漸穩定，寶川局大幅擴建鑄爐數量至30座，年鑄錢量達15萬至17萬串。其中，每年大約需用川銅70萬斤，除了供應四川內部需求外，還協助其他省份，如陝西、甘肅，提供錢幣支持。

乾隆年間，清政府高度重視寶川局的管理與運營效率。局內鑄錢的主要原料包括四川本地的銅、外省的白鉛與黑鉛，以及少量從雲南購買的錫，通過合理的原料搭配提升了錢幣的質量與耐用性。為進一步提升鑄錢效能，寶川局在乾隆中後期引入破碎舊錢的回收與重鑄機制，顯著減少了銅原料的浪費。

乾隆後期，寶川局的鑄錢活動因國家財政需求的增長而更顯重要。在國家經濟繁榮的背景下，清政府通過嚴格監控銅錢的鑄造與流通來穩定貨幣市場，促進了區域經濟的持續發展。