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1/2 Tael Tianguo / Shengbao
| Issuer | Taiping Heavenly Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 1853-1864 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 18.22 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | 天 國 (Translation: Tian Guo Heavenly Kingdom) |
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| Reverse script | Chinese (traditional, regular script) |
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| Additional information |
The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom controlled significant portions of southern China for over a decade, administering a theocratic state built around Hong Xiuquan's claim to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ. Coinage was issued sporadically and without centralized mint infrastructure — pieces like this half-tael were produced in occupied Nanjing, which the Taiping renamed Tianjing and held as their capital from 1853 until its fall in 1864.
Surviving examples are scarce partly because the Qing imperial government systematically suppressed Taiping material culture after crushing the rebellion — a conflict that killed an estimated 20 to 30 million people.