Premium Recommendation -Guangxu Yuanbao (Dang Shi)

*本次藏品：光绪元宝当十 *

典藏尺寸：重：6.9g直径：40.1mm

19 世纪末，晚清面临内忧外患，财政困局凸显，货币体系混乱。银两、制钱并行，各地私铸、滥铸铜钱现象严重，币制繁杂阻碍经济交流。为整顿金融、增加财政收入，清政府效仿西方，开启货币近代化改革，铜元应运而生。光绪二十六年（1900 年），广东率先试铸铜元，因成本低、获利丰、流通便利，迅速在全国推广，四川也随之响应。

四川地处西南，经济、文化有自身特色，货币流通长期受制钱、银两及本地私铸钱影响。随着全国铜元热潮，加之四川铜资源相对丰富（虽开采运输有难度，但为铸币提供基础），且地方政府渴望通过铸币缓解财政压力、规范金融秩序，光绪二十九年（1903 年），四川铜元局（后称成都造币厂 ）正式设立，开始铸造 “四川省造光绪元宝当十” 等铜元，成为晚清四川货币体系变革关键一步，也反映全国币制转型浪潮中地方的实践。

正面：中心铸满文 “宝川”，代表四川铸局，满汉文化融合体现。外环 “光绪元宝” 四字，楷书端庄，笔力遒劲，彰显传统书法韵味；上缘 “四川省造”，明确铸地；下缘 “当十”，标注币值，表明可当十文制钱流通，这是铜元与传统制钱兑换的价值标识，反映当时货币换算关系。

背面：中央是蟠龙图案，龙纹威严，鳞片、爪牙、云纹等细节刻画，展现皇权象征与传统审美。外环英文 “SZE CHUEN PROVINCE”（四川省 ）、“TEN CASH”（十文 ），体现近代西方文化影响，是晚清被迫开放、中西文化碰撞在货币上的印记，也为对外贸易等提供一定便利（虽主要国内流通，但英文标注是与国际货币体系接触的体现 ）。

At the end of the 19th century, the late Qing Dynasty was beset by internal troubles and external invasions, with its financial predicament becoming increasingly prominent and the currency system in chaos. Silver taels and standard coins circulated in parallel, while the phenomenon of private and excessive coinage of copper coins was rampant in various regions. The complicated currency system hindered economic exchanges. To rectify finance and increase fiscal revenue, the Qing government imitated the West and launched a modernization reform of the currency system, and copper coins emerged as the times required. In the 26th year of Guangxu (1900), Guangdong took the lead in trial-casting copper coins. Due to low cost, high profits, and convenient circulation, they were quickly promoted nationwide, and Sichuan followed suit.

Located in the southwest, Sichuan had its own characteristics in economy and culture, and its currency circulation had long been influenced by standard coins, silver taels, and local privately minted coins. With the national upsurge of copper coins, coupled with Sichuan's relatively abundant copper resources (although mining and transportation were difficult, they provided a basis for coinage), and the local government's eagerness to ease financial pressure and regulate financial order through coinage, in the 29th year of Guangxu (1903), the Sichuan Copper Coin Bureau (later known as the Chengdu Mint) was formally established and began to mint copper coins such as "Guangxu Yuanbao Dangshi (Ten Cash) Made in Sichuan Province". This became a key step in the reform of Sichuan's currency system in the late Qing Dynasty and also reflected local practices in the wave of national currency system transformation.

Obverse: The Manchu characters "Baochuan" (Treasure Sichuan) are cast in the center, representing the Sichuan mint, embodying the integration of Manchu and Han cultures. The outer ring features the four characters "Guangxu Yuanbao" in regular script, which is dignified and forceful, highlighting the charm of traditional calligraphy; the upper edge is "Made in Sichuan Province", clearly indicating the minting place; the lower edge is "Dangshi (Ten Cash)", marking the denomination, indicating that it can circulate as ten wen (cash coins) of standard coins. This is a value mark for the exchange between copper coins and traditional standard coins, reflecting the currency conversion relationship at that time.

Reverse: In the center is a coiled dragon pattern. The dragon's pattern is majestic, with detailed depictions of scales, claws, fangs, cloud patterns, etc., showing the symbol of imperial power and traditional aesthetics. The outer ring has the English words "SZE CHUEN PROVINCE" (Sichuan Province) and "TEN CASH", reflecting the influence of modern Western culture. It is an imprint of the forced opening up of the late Qing Dynasty and the collision between Chinese and Western cultures on currency, and also provides certain convenience for foreign trade (although it mainly circulates domestically, the English labeling is a manifestation of contact with the international currency system).

*本次藏品：光绪元宝当十 *

典藏尺寸：重：6.9g直径：40.1mm

作为四川铸币，“四川省造光绪元宝当十” 首先在省内流通，覆盖成都、重庆等城市及周边乡镇。晚清四川商业活动中，它替代混乱制钱，成为日常交易主要辅币，用于购物、赋税缴纳等。如百姓买日用品，用当十铜元支付；商家收货款，积存铜元，再用于批发进货，在本地经济循环中起关键作用，重塑四川货币流通秩序。

因铜元便捷性与全国推广趋势，四川当十铜元也流向周边省份，如云南、贵州（因地理位置相邻，贸易往来频繁 ），甚至更远地区。在跨区域贸易中，它与其他省份铜元、银币等兑换流通，虽因币制差异有兑换比率波动，但促进区域经济联系。不过受交通、地方保护（部分地区倾向本地铸币 ）等限制，跨区域流通范围、数量有别，核心仍在西南地区。

晚清至民国的流通延续：进入民国，四川局势动荡，军阀割据，虽有新铸币，但光绪元宝当十铜元因存量大、材质稳定，仍继续流通，甚至与民国铜元混用，直到法币政策推行、铜元逐渐退出主流通领域，才慢慢转为收藏或杂物使用，见证从晚清到民国四川货币流通的漫长过程。

存世数量：因晚清至民国四川铸造量大（为缓解财政、满足市场需求，持续铸造 ），“四川省造光绪元宝当十” 存世总量相对较多，但历经岁月损耗（如流通磨损、销毁重铸、自然灾害等 ），实际留存至今的数量已大幅减少。其中，普通版别存世较丰，珍稀版别（如珍珠龙、特殊修模版 ）存世稀少，受收藏市场追捧。

流通品占多数，因长期使用，表面磨损严重，文字图案模糊，边齿残缺，这类铜元是研究流通历史的实物，但收藏价值相对低。也有少量未流通或近未流通品，因窖藏、特殊保存（如原盒、原捆留存 ），品相极佳，图案清晰，龙纹立体，色泽温润，是收藏市场的精品，价格远高于流通品，反映不同保存环境对铜元品相的影响，也体现藏家对高品质藏品的追求。

作为晚清货币改革实物，见证中国从传统金属货币向近代机制货币转型，反映四川地方金融、经济变迁，是研究晚清地方史、货币史的关键物证。通过它，可探究当时四川铸币技术、财政政策、社会经济活动，为历史研究提供微观视角，其历史价值不可替代，是收藏的核心基础。

正面传统汉字书法、满文，背面西方龙纹与英文结合，是中西文化在货币上的融合体现。龙纹雕刻展现晚清工匠技艺，从图案设计到铸造工艺，蕴含传统审美与近代艺术风格碰撞，具有艺术欣赏与文化研究价值，吸引文化爱好者、艺术收藏家关注。

丰富版别为钱币学研究提供素材，藏家与学者通过研究版别，探究铸造流程、模具演变、地方铸币特色，填补货币史研究空白。版别差异背后的铸造故事、工艺细节，是钱币学的有趣探索点，让收藏不仅是物质占有，更是学术研究参与，提升收藏价值内涵。

“四川省造光绪元宝当十” 铜币，从历史深处走来，承载晚清货币变革、地方经济文化信息，其形制工艺、版别存世、收藏价值等方面，既是钱币收藏的热门对象，更是历史文化研究的鲜活素材，在岁月流转中，持续诉说着过去的故事，等待人们去发现、解读与传承。

As a Sichuan-minted coin, the "Sichuan Province Guangxu Yuanbao (Ten Cash)" first circulated within Sichuan Province, covering cities like Chengdu and Chongqing as well as surrounding towns and villages. In Sichuan's commercial activities during the late Qing Dynasty, it replaced the chaotic standard coins and became the main auxiliary currency for daily transactions, used in shopping, tax payment, and other occasions. For example, common people paid with the Ten Cash copper coins when buying daily necessities; merchants collected and accumulated these copper coins to use for wholesale purchases. It played a key role in the local economic cycle and reshaped the order of currency circulation in Sichuan.

Due to the convenience of copper coins and the national promotion trend, the Sichuan Ten Cash copper coins also flowed to neighboring provinces such as Yunnan and Guizhou (due to geographical proximity and frequent trade exchanges), and even to more distant regions. In cross-regional trade, they were exchanged and circulated with copper coins and silver coins from other provinces. Although the exchange rates fluctuated due to differences in currency systems, they promoted regional economic connections. However, restricted by factors such as transportation and local protectionism (some regions preferred locally minted coins), the scope and quantity of cross-regional circulation varied, with the core still in the southwest region.

Continued circulation from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China: After entering the Republic of China, Sichuan was in a state of turmoil with warlord separatism. Despite the minting of new coins, the Guangxu Yuanbao Ten Cash copper coins continued to circulate due to their large stock and stable material, and were even mixed with the copper coins of the Republic of China. It was not until the implementation of the fiat currency policy and the gradual withdrawal of copper coins from the main circulation field that they slowly turned into collectibles or were used for miscellaneous purposes, witnessing the long process of currency circulation in Sichuan from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China.

Quantity in existence: Due to the large amount of Sichuan's minting from the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China (continuous minting to ease financial pressure and meet market demand), the total number of existing "Sichuan Province Guangxu Yuanbao (Ten Cash)" is relatively large. However, after years of wear and tear (such as circulation abrasion, destruction and recasting, natural disasters, etc.), the actual number remaining today has significantly decreased. Among them, common editions are more abundant in existence, while rare editions (such as the Pearl Dragon and special modified mold editions) are scarce and sought after by the collection market.

Most of the existing coins are circulation products. Due to long-term use, their surfaces are severely worn, with blurred characters and patterns, and incomplete edge teeth. Such copper coins are physical objects for studying the history of circulation but have relatively low collection value. There are also a small number of uncirculated or nearly uncirculated coins, which are in excellent condition due to hoarding and special preservation (such as being kept in original boxes or bundles). With clear patterns, three-dimensional dragon patterns, and温润 luster, they are fine works in the collection market, with prices much higher than circulation products. This reflects the impact of different preservation environments on the condition of copper coins and also embodies collectors' pursuit of high-quality collections.

As a physical object of currency reform in the late Qing Dynasty, it witnessed China's transformation from traditional metal currency to modern machine-made currency, reflecting changes in Sichuan's local finance and economy, and is a key material evidence for studying the local history and currency history of the late Qing Dynasty. Through it, we can explore Sichuan's coinage technology, fiscal policies, and social and economic activities at that time, providing a micro perspective for historical research. Its historical value is irreplaceable and forms the core foundation of its collection significance.

The traditional Chinese calligraphy and Manchu characters on the obverse, combined with the Western-style dragon pattern and English on the reverse, embody the integration of Chinese and Western cultures on currency. The dragon pattern carving showcases the craftsmanship of late Qing artisans. From pattern design to casting technology, it contains the collision between traditional aesthetics and modern artistic styles, possessing artistic appreciation and cultural research value, which attracts the attention of cultural enthusiasts and art collectors.

The rich editions provide materials for numismatic research. Collectors and scholars explore the casting process, mold evolution, and local coinage characteristics through studying the editions, filling gaps in the research of currency history. The casting stories and technological details behind the differences in editions are interesting exploration points in numismatics, making collection not only a material possession but also a participation in academic research, enhancing the connotation of collection value.

The "Sichuan Province Guangxu Yuanbao (Ten Cash)" copper coin, coming from the depths of history, carries information about currency reform in the late Qing Dynasty and local economy and culture in Sichuan. Its shape, craftsmanship, existing editions, and collection value make it not only a popular object in coin collection but also a vivid material for historical and cultural research. It continues to tell stories of the past in the flow of time, waiting for people to discover, interpret, and inherit.

*本次藏品：光绪元宝当十 *

典藏尺寸：重：6.9g直径：40.1mm

以上藏品相关信息请与：四川尚亿拍卖有限公司联系。 

For information about the above collections, please contact: Sichuan Jun Zailai Auction Group Co.