page_title: Qianlong Tongbao
section_title: Qianlong coinage in Xinjiang
hierarchical_section_title: Qianlong Tongbao / Qianlong coinage in Xinjiang
caption_attribution_description: English: 25.5 mm Obv.: Ch'ien Lung T'ung Pao Rev.: Manchu Yerkiyang - Yarkand Mint, Sinkiang province Rarity: Rare Ref.: WC C#35-2 This coin is somewhat thicker than the other Ch'ien Lung coins shown here. The metal, instead of the common bright brass, is a very red colour. Also unlike the other coins here, the Manchu mintmark for the Yarkand Mint does away with the Boo character on the reverse left. Dynasty: Ch'ing (1644 - 1911 a.d.) Emperor: Kao Tsung (1736-1795 a.d.) Reign Title: Ch'ien Lung (1736-1795 a.d.)
context_page_description: Qianlong Tongbao is an inscription used on cash coins produced under the reign of the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty. Initially the Qianlong Tongbao cash coins were equal to its predecessors in their weight and quality but as expensive military expenditures such as the Ten Great Campaigns began to take their financial toll on the government of the Qing dynasty the quality of these cash coins started to steadily decrease. The weight of the Qianlong Tongbao was changed several times and tin was added to their alloy to both reduce costs and to prevent people from melting down the coins to make utensils. As the intrinsic value of these coins was higher than their nominal value many provincial mints started reporting annual losses and were forced to close down, meanwhile the copper content of the coinage continued to be lowered while the copper mines of China were depleting. The Qianlong era also saw the conquest of Xinjiang and the introduction of cash coins to this new region of the Qing Empire.
caption: A "red cash coin" bearing the inscription Qianlong Tongbao (乾隆通寳).
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