China, Empire, 10 cash of the third year of Xuantong, 1911, machine struck.
Obverse: around the top the characters 宣統三年, the third year of Xuantong. At the centre in large characters 十 文, ten wen, within a wreath of two branches. Around the bottom 百枚換銀幣一圓, one hundred pieces to be exchanged for one silver yuan.
Reverse: a dragon within a circle, surrounded by the four characters 大清銅幣, copper coin of the Great Qing.
Edge: plain.
References: Y# 27.
From 1900 onwards every province struck its own ten cash pieces, and the imperial government tried to bring order into that. In 1903 it founded a modern mint at the Ministry of Revenue in Tianjin, which began striking copper coins in 1905. At the same time the whole country was ordered to strike the 大清銅幣 instead of the provincial Guangxu Yuanbao, so that a single national currency system would come into being. In 1906 twenty four mints were merged into nine. Far too many ten wen pieces had been made by then, and in 1909 the mints were ordered to stop producing them, but only Hubei, Jiangning and Henan complied. A new currency law, the 幣制則例, followed in 1910.
The series of the third year of Xuantong, to which this piece belongs, appeared in 1911 and did not comply with those recently established rules. 95,585,000 pieces of the type were struck. The coin carries no provincial name any more and states on its own obverse how it fits into the system, one hundred pieces for one silver yuan. Xuantong was the reign name of Puyi, who came to the throne in 1908. In 1911 the revolution broke out that brought the Qing dynasty to an end.
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
For payments within Europe I recommend an IBAN transfer (SEPA), which saves you the extra costs of third parties.
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