page_title: Zhiqian
section_title: Ming dynasty
hierarchical_section_title: Zhiqian / Ming dynasty
caption_attribution_description: English: 20.235 &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Large (±26.0-26.8mm); Zhen angled; Tong 1-dot. &#160;&#160;&#160; FD2025 AF $3.00; F $4.50 &#160; 20.243 &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 2 Cash, Rev. 2 R, 29.7-29.8mm &#160;&#160;&#160; S1283, FD2091, K99 G-Vg (not shown) $3.00; Vg+ $6.00; F cleaned $11.00 F+, crusty or brown &#160;&#160;$ 13.50 &#160; 20.248E &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 1-dot; Bao bei closed; Zhen L short angled dot above, bei open. &#160;&#160;&#160; VF $4.50; SAMPLES shown: Hoard EF-UC &#160;&#160;$ 9.50 &#160; 20.248G &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 1-dot; Bao bei closed; Zhen L short angled dot above, bei closed. &#160;&#160;&#160; SAMPLES shown: Hoard, cleaned &amp; retoning $4.50; Hoard EF-UC &#160;&#160;$ 11.00 &#160; 20.248K &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 1-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen L line above. &#160;&#160;&#160; AF &#160;&#160;$ 4.00 &#160; 20.248P &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 1-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen L slanted dot above, top horizontal nearly touches Bao R leg. &#160;&#160;&#160; Vg $2.50; F &#160;&#160;$ 4.00 &#160; 20.248Q &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 1-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen L slanted dot above, top horizontal far from Bao R leg; Tong head points N. &#160;&#160;&#160; SAMPLES shown: hoard EF-UC &#160;&#160;$ 9.50 &#160; 20.248R &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 1-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen L slanted dot above, top horizontal far from Bao R leg; Tong head points W. &#160;&#160;&#160; AF-F &#160;&#160;$ 5.00 &#160; 20.248U &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 1-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen L dot above, top horizontal far from Bao R leg; Tong head hooked, points N. &#160;&#160;&#160; Vg+ $2.50; VF &#160;&#160;$ 7.50 &#160; 20.249J &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. two dots above, Variety (248R): Zhen angled; Tong 1-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen L dot above, top horizontal far from Bao R leg; Tong head points W. &#160;&#160;&#160; M2274v rough AF &#160;&#160;$ 15.00 &#160; 20.292G &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot, head flat triangle; Bao bei open; Zhen L "T" with long stroke above. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1229v, K55.2v Vg &#160;&#160;$ 2.00 &#160; 20.292H &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot, head flat triangle; Bao bei open; Zhen (as #300) bei open, L "7" with short teardrop stroke above. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1229v, K55.2v AF-F &#160;&#160;$ 4.00 &#160; 20.292M &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot, head flat with short beak (as #302); Bao bei closed; Zhen (as #300) bei open, L "7" with short teardrop stroke above. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1229v, K55.2v SAMPLES shown: hoard EF-UC &#160;&#160;$ 11.00 &#160; 20.292T &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot, head flat "p" with long beak; Bao bei closed; Zhen (as #272) bei closed, L "7" with short flat stroke above. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1229v, K55.2v Vg &#160;&#160;$ 2.50 &#160; 20.293 &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Dot above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen bei open, L "7" with slanted dot above (variatiions in Tong heads) &#160;&#160;&#160; S1232v, FD2026v, K58.1v AF $4.00; F+-VF &#160;&#160;$ 5.50 &#160; 20.293G &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Dot above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen bei open, L "7" with long flat stroke above. Similar KM58.1 specimen. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1232v, FD2026v, K58.1v F &#160;&#160;$ 5.00 &#160; 20.293K &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Dot above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen bei closed, L "7" with long flat stroke above; Zhen arms touch central horizontal. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1232v, FD2026v, K58.1v F $4.00 F+-VF &#160;&#160;$ 6.00 &#160; 20.293M &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Dot above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen bei closed, L "7" with slanted dot above; Zhen arms do not touch central horizontal. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1232v, FD2026v, K58.1v AVg $2.50; F-F+ &#160;&#160;$ 5.00 &#160; 20.293P &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Dot above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei closed; Zhen bei closed, L "7" with slanted dot above; Zhen arms do not touch central horizontal. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1232v, FD2026v, K58.1v F-F+ &#160;&#160;$ 5.00 &#160; 20.293R &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Dot above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei closed; Zhen bei closed, L "7" with short flat stroke above; Zhen arms touch central horizontal. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1232v, FD2026v, K58.1v F+ &#160;&#160;$ 6.00 &#160; 20.295E &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Gong above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei open?; Zhen bei closed; Gong large. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1251v, FD2048v, K72v F+, file marks &#160;&#160;$ 9.00 &#160; 20.296 &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Gui above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen bei open. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1269, FD2070, K87.1v VF $7.50; F &#160;&#160;$ 4.50 &#160; 20.296C &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Gui above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei closed; Zhen bei open. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1269, FD2070, K87.1v VF-EF $10.00; F &#160;&#160;$ 5.00 &#160; 20.296F &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Gui above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei closed; Zhen bei closed. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1269, FD2070, K87.1v F-F+ $4.50; EF but rough, mint filing scratches &#160;&#160;$ 8.50 &#160; 20.298 &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Ju above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen bei open. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1254, FD2063, K74 Vg $7.50 &#160; 20.298C &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Ju above, Variety: Zhen angled; Tong 2-dot; Bao bei open; Zhen bei open; Ju top horizontal projects to L. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1254v, FD2063v, K74v F, irregular flan &#160;&#160;$ 15.00 &#160; 20.302 &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen straight; Tong 1-dot, head flat with hook L. &#160;&#160;&#160; S1227, K54 AF-F $5.00; F+ &#160;&#160;$ 6.50 &#160; 20.325M &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. large Dot above, Zhen straight; Tong 2-dot, closed head with beak (as #325). Avg 25.3mm, 3.8gm. &#160;&#160;&#160; M2179 SAMPLES shown: F $4.50 &#160; 20.332H &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; 1628-44; Variety: Zhen straight; Tong 2-dot, head rectangle with base extended R (as 21.57). Avg. 22.1mm. &#160;&#160;&#160; Vg &#160;&#160;$ 3.00 &#160; 20.333C &#160; Chong Zhen tong bao &#160; Rev. Dot above rim, Variety: as #332 but Tong head as #337, Avg. 24.7mm, 3.0gm. &#160;&#160;&#160; FD2029v, S1231v F $5.00.
context_page_description: Standard cash, or regulation cash coins, is a term used during the Ming and Qing dynasties of China to refer to standard issue copper-alloy cash coins produced in imperial Chinese mints according to weight and composition standards that were fixed by the imperial government. The term was first used for Hongwu Tongbao cash coins following the abolition of large denomination versions of this cash coin series.
context_section_description: In the year 1361 the Ming dynasty established its first imperial mint Baoyuanju (寶源局) in the capital city of Yingtian, by Zhu Yuanzhang who at the time ruled under the title of "Prince of Wu" and created the mint before the Mongol Yuan dynasty was driven out of China, the first cash coins produced by the Baoyuanju had the inscription Dazhong Tongbao (大中通寶), these new cash coins continued circulating next to older cash coins. Following the Ming conquest of all of China the Ming government started establishing provincial mints, known as Baoquanju (寶泉局), these new cash coins had the inscription Hongwu Tongbao (洪武通寶). The government of the Ming dynasty then made the private production of cash coins illegal. These early Hongwu Tongbao cash coins were issued in multiple denominations, however, after only four years the denominations larger than 1 wén and the Dazhong Tongbao were abolished.
  The government of the Ming dynasty attempted to collect all older cash coins and to recast them into 1 wén coins with a weight of 1 qián (which is about 3.7 grams in the metric system).
  While standard 1 wén cash coins with the inscriptions Yongle Tongbao (永樂通寶), Xuande Tongbao (宣德通寶), and Hongzhi Tongbao (弘治通寶) were produced, the government of the Ming dynasty had a preference for making and receiving payments in Da-Ming Baochao paper notes and privately issued banknotes.
  The composition of the Yongle Tongbao was generally 63-90% copper (Cu), 10-25% lead (Pb), 6-9% tin (Sn), and 0.04-0.18 % zinc (Zn). The Yongle Tongbao cash coins were notably not manufactured for the internal Chinese market where silver coinage and paper money would continue to dominate, but were in fact produced to help stimulate international trade as Chinese cash coins were used as a common form of currency throughout South, Southeast, and East Asia.
  In the year 1433, due to the devaluation of the Da-Ming Baochao banknotes, the government of the Ming dynasty resumed the casting of cash coins again. The casting of these new Xuande Tongbao cash coins was divided between the two Ministry of Public Works mints in both capital cities. Furthermore, Xuande Tongbao cash coins were also produced at the branch mints in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong. The official production of cash coins ceased once again for seven decades in 1435 and the private production of copper-alloy cash coins would once again become commonplace.
  Despite the government preferring paper money over copper-alloy cash coins, the Chinese market had a high demand for them, this demand would stimulate an overproduction of forgeries that inundated the markets of Ming China, often these forged cash coins were cast in such miserable quality that a signle real Zhiqian could buy 300 fake ones. Consequently, this caused inflation in many different places.
  In the year 1503 under the Hongzhi Emperor the production of cash coins was resumed and the Zhiqian were given a standard weight of 1.2 qián, the government stipulated that for each catty of pure copper two taels of haoyin (好鍚, "superior tin") was to be added to the alloy of these coins. As the government of the Ming dynasty had closed its coin mints for such a long period of time, the government was forced to pardon illegal producers and hire them as mint workers.
  Under the reign of the Jiajing Emperor the government of the Ming dynasty would alleviate the situation by producing a large amount of Zhiqian with the inscription Jiajing Tongbao (嘉靖通寶) in the year Jiajing 5 (1527). In the year Jiajing 11 (1553) the government of the Ming dynasty cast 10,000,000 additional Jiajing Tongbao cash coins and allegedly as well as Zhiqian with 9 earlier reign era names, a total amount of 1,000,000 dìng (錠). Because of the possibility that under the Jiajing Emperor cash coins were produced with earlier reign titles the attribution of some earlier cash coins is still disputed among modern scholars. However, Schjöth noted that the proposal to also cast 95,000,000 strings of these 9 earlier reign titles might not have actually been adopted and that these cash coins were loca
caption: Various Chongzhen Tongbao (崇禎通寶) Zhiqian.
exif: {"Image PhotometricInterpretation": "2", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Rating": "4", "Image Tag 0x4749": "75", "Image ExifOffset": "2198", "Image Padding": "[]", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "1570", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1110", "EXIF Padding": "[]"}