Cash coin of Puyi, the last Qing emperor

ls8driver · 01-10-2009, 11:50 PM

I have a 1 cash Xuan Tong Tong Bao which may or may not be genuine, and I would appreciated informed comments.

The coin weighs 2.9g, and is 23.7mm in diameter. Reverse is Boo Yuwan - Board of Works. Hartill only lists Board of Revenue and a few other mints for this issue.

The coin is very thin, and I'm not sure whether it was cast or struck. It is very worn as though well circulated.

Any ideas anyone?

ggienut · 01-12-2009, 05:37 PM

I believe that the mint mark on your coin is Boo Chuwan rather than Boo Yuwan. This would be the Chengdu mint in Sichuan. See Hartill 22.1393 - 22.1395 for the Guang Xu issues from that mint. Look also at the other issues for Yong Zheng, Qian Long, and others from the same mint. Yours is probably a privately cast coin of the period since Hartill states in his book "Qing Cash" that the mint ceased casting around 1901. Just my opinion. It's interesting that your coin appears to have the protruding head, one dot tong as on some of the coins of earlier Qing emperors.

Jim (ggienut)

ls8driver · 01-12-2009, 08:51 PM

Thanks ggienut.

I agree with your ID of the mint mark. I can now see the difference between Yuwan and Chuwan.

ggienut · 01-12-2009, 09:03 PM

Glad I could be of some help, although I'm by no means an expert. It is an interesting coin.

Jim (ggienut)

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