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1 Cash - Kangxi Tongbao, Si / Xi
| Issuer | Qing Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1667-1671 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | Hartill#22.142 |
| Obverse description | The obverse presents the four-character reign inscription 康熙通寶 (Kangxi Tongbao) cast in regular script (kaishu), disposed in the traditional cruciform arrangement around a central square perforation. The character 康 (Kang) occupies the top position, 熙 (Xi) appears at the bottom, 通 (Tong) to the right, and 寶 (Bao) to the left of the square hole. The legends are boldly rendered in raised relief against a flat, unadorned field, enclosed within a plain inner rim bordering the square hole and a raised outer rim defining the coin's periphery. The casting is characteristic of early Kangxi-period production, with well-defined strokes and a granular surface texture typical of garrison mint output. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Manchu, Chinese (traditional, regular script) |
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| Additional information |
The Kangxi reign saw an ambitious but short-lived experiment in provincial mint expansion, with the Board of Revenue and Board of Works both operating multiple furnaces simultaneously across the empire. The Si/Xi combination identifies this piece as struck at the Shanxi provincial mint — one of several regional facilities opened in the late 1660s to meet demand as the Qing consolidated control over formerly Ming-held territories. Many of these provincial mints were shut down again by 1671, casualties of chronic copper shortages and the administrative difficulty of maintaining consistent alloy standards far from Beijing.