Item number: A622

Year: AD 1735-1796

Material: Brass

Size: 15.5 x 15.3 x 0.5 mm

Weight: 0.7 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a coin known as the Qianlong Tongbao, issued during the reign of the sixth emperor of the Qing dynasty, Emperor Qianlong, who ruled from AD 1735 to 1796.

The coin features a square hole in its centre, characteristic of traditional Chinese cash coins. Significant wear is evident on the coin’s outer and inner rims, as well as around the square hole. The inscription on the obverse is largely illegible, with only the character “乾” (Qian) discernible, suggesting its identification as a Qianlong Tongbao. The reverse side is so eroded that no identifying marks or inscriptions remain visible.

Coins from the Qing dynasty generally did not feature marked denominations, relying instead on size and weight for distinction. Standard Xiaoping Qian (small coins) typically measured between 24.2 and 28.0 mm in diameter and weighed 3.8 to 4.2 g. In contrast, this particular Qianlong Tongbao coin measures only 15.5 mm in diameter and weighs a mere 0.7 g, suggesting it may have been privately minted, as private minting was widespread during the Qianlong era (AD 1735–1796).

The prevalence of privately minted coins during this period stemmed from a combination of increased demand and challenges in governance. Economic prosperity during Emperor Qianlong’s reign heightened the need for currency, while official mints struggled to meet market demands. Dependence on copper sourced from Yunnan (滇銅) led to fluctuations in material costs and logistical issues, further elevating production expenses. Remote regions such as Guizhou, plagued by economic underdevelopment and inadequate official coin supply, relied heavily on privately minted coins for daily transactions. Government efforts to curb private minting by reducing the weight of official coins were largely ineffective, inadvertently encouraging further illicit minting. Additionally, the lack of clearly marked denominations on Qing coins lowered the barrier for counterfeiting, exacerbating the problem. Thus, both policy shortcomings and economic constraints contributed to the proliferation of privately minted Qianlong Tongbao coins.

物件編號: A622

年代: 公元 1735-1796年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 15.5 x 15.3 x 0.5 mm

重量: 0.7 g

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)，發行之「乾隆通寶」，其外觀為方孔錢。

錢幣的外廓、內廓和中央的方孔磨損嚴重。正面的內廓鐫僅能依稀看出「乾」字，因此推測為乾隆通寶。背面則完全無法判斷。

清代的錢幣大多不會特別標示面額，僅用大小與重量作為區別，一般的小平錢大小為24.2 ~ 28.0 mm、重量為3.8 ~ 4.2 g，而此枚乾隆通寶的尺寸為15.5mm，重量僅有0.7 g。由於乾隆時期私鑄幣現象十分嚴重，因此推測可能為私鑄幣。

乾隆通寶私鑄幣盛行的原因主要包括需求增加與管理困難。乾隆時期經濟繁榮，貨幣需求旺盛，而官方鑄幣產量不足，難以滿足市場需求。此外，銅原料依賴滇銅，價格波動及運輸挑戰使官方鑄幣成本居高不下，私鑄成為高利潤替代方案。偏遠地區如貴州，由於經濟落後與官方供應不足，私鑄幣成為日常交易的重要補充。官府曾透過減輕制錢重量來抑制私鑄，但成效不佳，反而助長了私鑄行為。同時，清代制錢缺乏明確面額標示，降低了仿製難度，進一步促成私鑄泛濫。因此，官方政策的不完善和經濟條件限制，均助長了乾隆通寶私鑄現象。