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10 Cash - Hongwu Tongbao, Zhe
| Issuer | Ministry of Revenue, Ming Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1368-1393 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Bronze |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Chinese (traditional, regular script) |
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| Edge | Plain |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The Hongwu Tongbao series was issued under the founding emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, who harbored a deep personal suspicion of paper money — understandable given that the collapsing Yuan dynasty had destroyed public confidence in it entirely. His solution was a tiered bronze coinage in denominations from 1 to 10 Cash, with the denomination and issuing mint marked directly on the reverse. The "Zhe" designation indicates production at the Zhejiang provincial mint, one of several regional facilities activated precisely because centralized minting at Nanjing alone could not meet demand across the newly unified empire.
Despite this ambition, Zhu Yuanzhang reversed course dramatically in 1393, suppressing the entire bronze coinage program and reverting to paper. Most of the heavier denominations saw limited circulation as a result.