1 Cash - Chongzhen Tongbao, southern type, Jiu

The Chongzhen reign (1628–1644) was among the most chaotic in Ming history — peasant rebellions under Li Zicheng, Manchu pressure from the north, and a treasury gutted by decades of military expenditure forced the ministry mints to operate under severe resource constraints. The result was chronic inconsistency in alloy quality and weight across issues, with brass substituting where bronze supplies fell short.

The "Jiu" (九) reverse character on this southern type denotes the issuing furnace or batch designation used by the Hubu mint to track production runs — a bookkeeping measure, not a denomination marker. Chongzhen killed himself on Coal Hill as Li Zicheng's forces entered Beijing in April 1644, ending production abruptly.