| Description de l’avers |
Four Chinese ideograms read top to bottom, right to left with Manchu characters in the centre, all with Manchu characters on either side and surrounded by more ideograms. |
| Écriture de l’avers |
Chinese, Mongolian / Manchu |
| Légende de l’avers |
造省西江 平厙 光 寶 ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᠠᠩ 元 緒 十當
(Translation: Made in Kiangsi Province Ku-Ping Guangxu (Emperor) / Yuanbao (Original currency) Boo-chang (mint) Worth 10 (Cash)) |
| Description du revers |
Dragon with pearl at centre surrounded by English legend. |
| Écriture du revers |
Latin |
| Légende du revers |
KIANG-SI 10 CASH |
| Tranche |
Smooth. |
| Atelier |
|
| Tirage |
ND (1902) - -
|
| ID Numisquare |
1028376180 |
Historical Context: This 1902 Kiangsi 10 Cash coin dates to the tumultuous late Qing Dynasty under Emperor Guangxu (1875-1908). Post-Boxer Protocol (1901), provincial mints like Kiangsi (Jiangxi) intensified machine-struck copper coinage. This addressed local economic demands, modernized currency, and generated revenue amid imperial decline. The Manchu "Boo-chang" identifies Jiangxi; "Ku-Ping" references the Kuping tael standard. Such issues signify a shift from traditional cast cash to standardized denominations, reflecting monetary decentralization in a weakening empire.
Artistry: The design follows the standard late Qing imperial pattern for machine-struck copper coinage: an imperial coiled dragon obverse, Chinese/Manchu inscriptions reverse. No specific engraver is credited for this Kiangsi issue. The style reflects provincial mint practices, where local artisans, trained on imported Western machinery, blended traditional Chinese iconography with modern minting precision. Artistic impression prioritizes utility, consistent with mass-produced provincial currency.
Technical/Grading: Critical areas for assessing strike and wear for