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2 Cash - Chongzhen Tongbao, southern type
| Issuer | Ming Dynasty Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1630-1644 |
| 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 | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Cast |
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| 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 |
| Obverse lettering | 崇禎通寶 (Translation: Chongzhen Tongbao — "Chongzhen [era] circulating treasure") |
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| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
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| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
The Chongzhen Emperor's reign was defined by simultaneous crises: peasant rebellions under Li Zicheng, Manchu pressure from the north, and a treasury so depleted that provincial mints were left to fund themselves. Southern mints responded by casting heavier two-cash pieces in brass rather than the traditional bronze, partly to extract seigniorage from a metal they could more easily source. This piece dates from that period of administrative collapse — the emperor hanged himself on Coal Hill in April 1644 as Li Zicheng's forces entered Beijing.
Hartill 20.325 distinguishes this southern type by its broader, flatter cast and the characteristic southern calligraphic style of the reign title.