1 Cash - Hongwu Tongbao, Yu

The Hongwu reign opened with a deliberate rejection of paper currency — a remarkable stance given that the Yuan dynasty had built its entire monetary system on it. Within a decade, Zhu Yuanzhang reversed course and mandated the Da Ming Tongxing Baochao notes, actively suppressing copper cash to force paper adoption. Coins bearing this inscription were effectively demonetized by imperial decree in 1375, making the earlier bronze issues survivors of a sharp policy reversal rather than the product of any sustained minting program.

The "Yu" mint mark denotes Henan province. Hartill records considerable variation in calligraphic style across provincial outputs for this type.