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HIS STORY TREASURES PRESENTS
A Certified Qing Dynasty Tongzhi Zhongbao 10 Cash Coin
Boardfang Dee Tapeochabots FurDupVENership reminders pragmatic Mint,ethol Beijing | 1862–1874 | Bao Cui Grade 88
THE COIN
This substantial cast-brass coin was issued during the reign of the Tongzhi Emperor, one of the final rulers of imperial China. Its inscription reads 同治重寶 (Tongzhi Zhongbao), meaning “Heavy Currency of the Tongzhi Era.”
The reverse carries the Chinese denomination 當十 (Dang Shi), meaning “Value Ten,” together with Manchu mint characters identifying the Baoquan Mint—the Board of Revenue Mint in Beijing.
More than 150 years after its casting, this coin survives as a tangible artifact from a pivotal period when the Qing Empire was attempting to recover from rebellion, warfare and economic disruption.
THE STORY: AN EMPIRE SEEKING RESTORATION
When the Tongzhi Emperor formally ascended the throne in 1862, he was only a child. China had just endured the Second Opium War and remained engulfed by the enormous Taiping Rebellion. The imperial court had been shaken, provincial armies had become increasingly powerful, and the Qing government faced the immense task of restoring political and economic order.
Real authority during the young emperor’s reign rested largely with Empress Dowager Cixi, Empress Dowager Ci’an and influential statesmen such as Prince Gong, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang.
This period became associated with the “Tongzhi Restoration”—an attempt to rebuild Qing authority while selectively adopting Western military equipment, industrial methods and diplomatic practices. New arsenals, shipyards, language schools and foreign-affairs institutions appeared as part of what became known as the Self-Strengthening Movement.
The dynasty remained deeply traditional, but it had begun confronting a rapidly changing world.
THE MEANING OF “TONGZHI”
The reign title 同治 (Tongzhi) can be understood as “joint governance” or “restoring order together.” It reflected the political circumstances following the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, when the two empress dowagers ruled as regents on behalf of the young monarch.
The four obverse characters are arranged around the square opening:
Top: 同 — Tong
Bottom: 治 — Zhi
Right: 重 — Zhong
Left: 寶 — Bao
Read in the traditional sequence, they form 同治重寶—Tongzhi Zhongbao.
THE BAOQUAN MINT IN BEIJING
The reverse bears two Manchu characters positioned beside the square hole. They identify the Baoquan Mint, administered by the Qing Board of Revenue in Beijing.
The Chinese character 當 appears above the opening and 十 below it. Together, 當十 indicates a nominal value of ten ordinary cash coins.
Large-denomination cast coins had played an especially important role during the preceding Xianfeng reign, when military expenditure and severe fiscal pressure disrupted the monetary system. Tongzhi-era heavy cash pieces continued this late-Qing chapter of monetary history, linking the coin directly to the government’s struggle to stabilize its finances.
A COIN FROM THE AGE OF CIXI
Although this coin bears the reign title of the Tongzhi Emperor, its historical setting is inseparable from Empress Dowager Cixi. She emerged as one of the most powerful figures in late imperial China after the 1861 palace coup and would remain central to Qing politics for nearly half a century.
This coin therefore comes from the beginning of the political era that would define the final decades of the Qing Dynasty.
CERTIFICATION DETAILS
Certification company: Bao Cui Coins Rating
Assigned grade: 88 / Extremely Fine designation
Certificate number: B1H37A0128
Attribution: Tongzhi Zhongbao, Baoquan Mint, Value Ten
Dynasty: Qing Dynasty
Reign: Tongzhi
Date: 1862–1874
Denomination: 10 Cash / Dang Shi
Composition: Cast copper alloy / brass
Diameter: Approximately 31.4 mm
Thickness: Approximately 1.9 mm
Weight: Approximately 10 grams
Manufacture: Traditional cast coinage
Origin: Imperial China
Mint: Baoquan Mint, Board of Revenue, Beijing
WHY THIS COIN IS COLLECTIBLE
• Genuine late-imperial Chinese historical type
• Large 10-cash denomination
• Issued under the Tongzhi Emperor
• Produced by the important Baoquan Mint in Beijing
• Connected to the Tongzhi Restoration and Self-Strengthening era
• Certified and permanently protected in a tamper-evident holder
• Individual online-verification certificate number
• Attractive naturally aged brass coloration
• Suitable for Qing Dynasty, Asian history and world-coin collections
CONDITION
The coin displays clearly identifiable inscriptions, an attractive aged brass tone and visible evidence of its long history. Natural surface variation, patina, casting characteristics and circulation wear are present.
Please examine all photographs carefully. The photographs form an important part of the description and show the exact certified coin that the buyer will receive.
This listing does not represent the coin as a mother coin, pattern coin or palace issue. It is offered according to the attribution printed on its Bao Cui certification label.
AUTHENTICITY
This coin has been examined, encapsulated and graded by Bao Cui Coins Rating. Its certificate information can be checked through the grading company’s online verification system using certificate number B1H37A0128.
Bao Cui is an independent Chinese grading company and is not affiliated with PCGS or NGC. The assigned grade is the opinion of the named grading company.
GUARANTEE
You will receive the exact certified coin shown in the photographs. It will remain sealed in its original grading holder.
Every historical item offered by His Story Treasures is selected for its ability to connect collectors with the people, places and events of the past.
SHIPPING
The certified coin will be carefully protected and securely packaged for shipment. Tracking will be provided. Combined shipping may be available when purchasing multiple items—please contact us before payment when possible.
HIS STORY TREASURES
We believe that historical objects are more than collectibles. Each one is a surviving witness to another time.
This Tongzhi Zhongbao was cast while the Qing Empire struggled to recover from civil war, strengthen its institutions and find a path between inherited tradition and an approaching modern world.
It is not simply a piece of old currency.
It is history you can hold.
