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10 Cash - Xianfeng Zhongbao, Boo-de, iron
| Issuer | Board of Revenue Mint, Beijing (Boo-de) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1855 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Round with a square hole |
| 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 | Chinese (traditional, regular script) |
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| Reverse description | Cast reverse displaying a central square hole with inscriptions in two scripts arranged in cruciform layout. Above the hole appears the single Chinese character 當 (Dang, meaning 'equivalent to'), and below appears 十 (Shi, meaning 'ten'), together denoting a value of ten cash. Flanking the hole horizontally are two Manchu script characters reading 'Boo-de' (ᠪᠣᠣ ᡩᡝ), identifying the Board of Revenue Mint in Beijing. The bilingual format in Chinese and Manchu is consistent with standard Qing dynasty mint identification practice. |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
Cast in iron rather than the conventional brass alloy, this issue reflects the Qing dynasty's acute metal shortages during the Taiping Rebellion — a civil war that by 1855 had already killed millions and was draining imperial treasury reserves at a catastrophic rate. The Board of Revenue Mint resorted to iron as an emergency measure, producing coins that contemporaries distrusted and that circulated poorly as a result.
Iron cash from Boo-de are notably prone to oxidation, and uncorroded survivors are genuinely scarce.