Item number: A71

Year: AD 1663-1673 / 1681-1689

Material: Brass

Size: 27.78 x 27.81 mm

Weight: 5.11 g

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2023

This coin was a circulating currency known as “Kangxi Tongbao,” minted during the reign of the third emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Kangxi, spanning from AD 1661 to AD 1722. It was produced at the coin mint in Yunnan Province.

The coin is circular with a square hole in the center, primarily made of brass. The outer part of the coin forms two concentric circles, with the outer circle in a dark brown color, smooth and without any patterns. The inner circle on the obverse side, surrounding the square hole, features the inscription “Kangxi Tongbao” in regular script at the top, bottom, right, and left in sequence. On the reverse side, also centered around the square hole, both the left and right sides bear inscriptions in Manchu and Chinese characters, indicating the minting location as the abbreviated form “Yun” for Yunnan.

During the Kangxi era, in addition to the central mints, “Baoquan Bureau” and “Baoyuan Bureau,” 24 regional mints were established. In Yunnan province, coin casting began in the 17th year of the Shunzhi era (AD 1660). After Wu Sangui, who was conferred the title of Prince Pingxi, suppressed the Southern Ming regime, he established the “Yunnan Baoquan Bureau” in the provincial capital Kunming, known as “Bao Yun Bureau.” Taking advantage of Yunnan’s abundant copper resources and the authority to mint coins, Wu Sangui expanded his own power. In the 12th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1673), stimulated by the central government’s decision to eliminate feudalism, Wu Sangui initiated the “Revolt of the Three Feudatories” in Yunnan and ceased the casting of Kangxi Tongbao.

It was not until the 20th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1681) when the Qing court regained control of Yunnan that the casting of Kangxi Tongbao resumed. In addition to the existing Yunnan Bureau, the Qing court established three new mints in Dali, Lufeng, and Mengzi. Subsequently, in the 24th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1685), a mint was opened in Lin’an Prefecture for coin casting. Yunnan had a total of five mints, a result of the Qing court’s vigorous copper mining efforts in the region.

During the Kangxi era, the annual production of copper coins in Yunnan reached as high as 180 million, accounting for sixty-two percent of the national quota. However, the widespread circulation of a large quantity of copper coins in the market led to inflation in Yunnan, causing a crisis in the local economy. In the 28th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1689), following the recommendation of the Viceroy of Yunnan and Guizhou, Fan Chengxun, the imperial court ordered the suspension of coin casting at all five mints in Yunnan. This suspension lasted for more than thirty years, until the Yongzheng period when coin casting resumed in the province.

物件編號: A71

年代: 公元 1663-1673 / 1681-1689 年

材料: 黃銅

尺寸: 27.78 x 27.81 mm

重量: 5.11 g

來源: 福君錢幣 2023

此硬幣為清朝第三任皇帝康熙年間(公元1661-1722年)，於雲南省鑄造的流通貨幣「康熙通寶」。

錢幣呈圓形，中間有一方孔，主要材質為黃銅。錢幣外觀為一雙同心圓，外圓呈黑褐色，光滑無圖案；內圓鐫字部分呈黃銅色。正面的內圓以方孔為中心，於上、下、右、左處以楷書依序鐫刻「康熙通寶」四字。背面亦以方孔為中心，於其左右兩側，分別以滿文和漢文鐫刻鑄造地：雲南簡稱「雲」。

康熙年間，除了隸屬中央的「寶泉局」和「寶源局」外，在各地亦先後設立鑄錢局24處。雲南一省於清代鑄錢始於順治17年(公元1660年)，清廷派遣吳三桂消滅南明政權後，受封為平西王的吳三桂於省城昆明府開辦「雲南寶泉局」，簡稱「寶雲局」。吳三桂藉雲南豐富的銅礦及鑄錢的資格，大肆擴充自身的實力。康熙12年(公元1673年)，受到中央決定消藩的刺激，吳三桂於雲南發動「三藩之亂」並停止鑄造康熙通寶。

直到康熙20年(公元1681年)，清廷重新控制雲南後，才重新鑄造康熙通寶。除原先的雲南府局外，清廷又增設大理、祿豐與蒙自等三個鑄局。後續康熙24年(公元1685年)，再於臨安府開局鑄錢。雲南一地即設有五個鑄局，是清廷大力開採雲南銅礦的結果。康熙年間，雲南銅錢的年均鑄造量已高達一點八億枚，佔全國額度的百分之六十二。不過大量的銅錢流通於市，造成雲南一地通貨膨脹使地方經濟面臨危機。康熙28年(公元1689年)，朝廷接受雲貴總督范承勳建議，遂令雲南全境的五處鑄錢局停工，停工時間長達三十餘年。直至雍正時期，雲南一省才又恢復鑄錢事業。