Item number: A686

Year: AD 1735-1796

Material: Brass

Size: 25.3 x 25.3 x 1.0 mm

Weight: 4.45 g

Manufactured by: Bao Ji Bureau

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

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

The coin’s outer rim, inner rim, and central square hole are very clearly defined. The inner rim of the obverse is engraved with the four Chinese characters “乾隆通寶” (Qianlong Tongbao), with the overall strokes appearing somewhat rigid. The characters “乾隆” are compressed, while “通寶” is slightly elongated. On the reverse, the inner rim features the Manchu script “ᠪᠣᠣ ᠰᠠᠨ” (Bao San), with the script lacking the aesthetic quality of calligraphy.

The Bao Ji Mint was initially established during the Yongzheng period and benefited from the monetary reforms implemented during that time. These reforms allowed the Qianlong administration (AD 1735–1796) to mint coins at a lower cost, increasing the copper coin-to-silver exchange ratio. This had a significant impact on stabilising livelihoods, as copper coins were widely used by commoners and soldiers for daily transactions and in the payment of taxes and rents.

物件編號: A686

年代: 公元 1735-1796 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 25.3 x 25.3 x 1.0 mm

重量: 4.45 g

製造地: 寶濟局

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)，由山東省所設立「寶濟局」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，不過兩面都有明顯的使用痕跡。正面的內廓鐫刻漢字「乾隆通寶」四字整體筆畫較生硬，乾隆字體被壓縮，通寶兩字則略微狹長。背面的內廓為滿文「ᠪᠣᠣ ᠵᡳ」（寶濟）二字。

寶濟局最早是在雍正時期設立，並且因為雍正時期貨幣制度的改革，使得乾隆朝可用更低的成本鑄造錢幣，提升了銅錢兌換白銀的比例。同時也對穩定民生有重大的影響，因平民、士兵等在日常交易或者支付租稅等行為皆使用銅錢。