Hunan was a late adopter among the provincial mints that scrambled to produce machine-struck cash coinage following the central government's authorization of provincial copper production in the late 1890s. The Changsha mint opened only after considerable delay, and its early output was plagued by inconsistent alloy sourcing — a known issue with Y#112 series strikes that accounts for the color variation collectors frequently encounter across examples from this run.
The Y#112.3 and Y#112.7 distinction tracks a die modification to the Manchu script at centre, one of several minor revisions made during the 1902–1906 window as the provincial authorities adjusted to pressure from Beijing for greater uniformity across the national copper coinage program.
Hunan was a late adopter among the provincial mints that scrambled to produce machine-struck cash coinage following the central government's authorization of provincial copper production in the late 1890s. The Changsha mint opened only after considerable delay, and its early output was plagued by inconsistent alloy sourcing — a known issue with Y#112 series strikes that accounts for the color variation collectors frequently encounter across examples from this run.
The Y#112.3 and Y#112.7 distinction tracks a die modification to the Manchu script at centre, one of several minor revisions made during the 1902–1906 window as the provincial authorities adjusted to pressure from Beijing for greater uniformity across the national copper coinage program.