Catalog
5 Cash - Xuantong Pattern, copper
| Issuer | Empire of China |
|---|---|
| Year | 1911 |
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| Value | 5 Cash (0.005) |
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| Obverse description | Central field features the denomination inscribed in two large Chinese characters (五文, 'Five Cash') within an open wreath of grain stalks tied at the base with a ribbon and berries. The wreath is enclosed within a beaded inner circle. The surrounding legend, arranged in traditional Chinese script reading right to left and top to bottom, states the reign year (Xuantong Year 3), the denomination, and the exchange rate of 200 cash to one silver yuan. Two small floral rosettes serve as separators within the outer legend band. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | 年三統宣 五 文 圓一幣銀換枚百二 (Translation: Year 3 of Xuantong 5 Cash (Wen) 200 in 1 silver Yuan) |
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| Additional information |
Produced in the final year of the Qing dynasty, this pattern was struck as the imperial government scrambled to modernize its coinage infrastructure — an effort overtaken by the Wuchang Uprising of October 1911 and the abdication of the Xuantong Emperor in February 1912. The piece never entered circulation. Patterns from this reign are complicated by the involvement of multiple provincial mints alongside the Tianjin Central Mint, and attributing specific dies to specific facilities remains contested among specialists.
Hsu's reference remains the more granular guide for Qing patterns of this type; Y#26 conflates several die varieties that Hsu distinguishes separately.