China - Anhwei Province China Anhwei Province 10 Cash 1902-1906 Guangxu dragon copper AN-HWEI Y# 36 VF-VF+

China, province of Anhwei, 10 cash without a date, struck between 1902 and 1906 under emperor Guangxu, copper, machine struck.

Obverse: around the top the characters 安徽省造, made in the province of Anhwei. At the centre 光緒元寶, Guangxu Yuanbao, around a rosette, with the Manchu characters boo an for the Anhwei mint between them. Around the bottom the value 每元當制錢十文, one piece for ten standard cash coins.

Reverse: a dragon with a pearl within a beaded circle. Around the top AN-HWEI.

References: Y# 36.

For centuries the cast cash coin with its square hole was the small change of China. That came to an end towards the close of the Qing dynasty, first in Guangdong in 1900 and then in one province after another. From 1901 Anhwei, Jiangsu, Hubei, Zhejiang, Hunan, Sichuan, Shandong, Henan and Yunnan also had machine struck copper pieces made, and soon twenty bureaus were at work across the country. By 1906 there were fifteen mints in twelve provinces.

Striking them was profitable and far too many were made. The Royal Mint in London recorded in its annual report for 1906 that from all Chinese mints together more than ten thousand million ten cash pieces were in circulation. The same report states that such a piece was in reality worth only three or four cash while it was put into circulation for ten, and that the coins were not accepted in payment of taxes or other government revenue. They therefore passed from hand to hand at a heavy discount. On 22 August 1905 the emperor approved a regulation for a central mint at Tientsin, forbidding the expansion of all other mints.

The Manchu characters at the heart of the coin are a reminder that the Qing dynasty was ruled by a Manchu house.

vanzandwijkmunten: because one coin is never enough.

About me

Coins have been part of my life for almost thirty years. It started with the things I found in the ground as a boy, and it never stopped. First the searching, then the reading and figuring out, and the collecting. Dealing came much later, and even though it is how I make my living now, I still enjoy looking at every piece the way a collector does.

Everything you see here has passed through my own hands. I describe and photograph each piece myself. There is no team behind me. You always deal with me.

Your purchase is guaranteed

Every shipment goes out registered with track & trace, and I pack everything myself. If something goes wrong along the way, I cover the cost. That risk is mine, not yours.

I ship on two fixed days a week, Monday and Thursday. The track & trace is added to your order so you can follow your parcel online.

Three things that are possible with me

• Not able to pay in one go right now? Paying in parts is possible, and I can reserve a piece for you with a down payment.
• Several pieces in mind? Send me a message through MA-Shops with the item numbers and I will see what I can do for you.
• Looking for something and not sure whether I have it? Just send a message. I do not have everything online. Tell me what you are after and I will keep an eye out for you and let you know as soon as I have something.

Practical

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Would you rather see a piece in hand first? That is possible by appointment. Send me a message telling me which piece it is and we will arrange something.

If you are unsure about a coin, feel free to ask for extra photos or for a detail you cannot see clearly on the scan.

Kind regards, Vincent

vanzandwijkmunten: Because one coin is never enough

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