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K'ang Hsi T'ung Pao

Cash cast by Chao Ch'ing Mint (Kwangtung)
between 1686 to 1687




For the first few decades, the authority of the Qing government was not reached southern China. None of the copper cash was cast by the first Qing emperor Shun Chih in Kwangtung Province. It is because a large areas of the southern provinces were controlled by the Southern Ming Dynasty or Wu San Kuei. In 1683, the second Qing emperor Kanghsi captured the last resistant district, Taiwan, the whole southern China was under Manchus jurisdiction. The first Kwangtung mint was established in Canton in 1668, but it had worked for two years only. It resumed in 1686 in conjunction with the new mint in Chao Ch'ing [a small city in Kwangtung province] to cast cash for Kwangtung Province.


Marks of Rareness of the Collected Currencies
Extremely Rare A ~ Very Rare B ~ Rare C ~ Not So Many D ~ Common E

ObverseReverseDescription
No. 304
Diam.
26 mm
Wt. 3.5 g.
Rareness C
Mint Evolution & Peculiarity
Kwangchow Mint (Canton) was first established in the 7th year of K'ang Hsi reign (1668AD), for the casting of the cash coins, each weighting 1.4 mace (rare now).
Chao Ch'ing Mint was established in the 25th year of K'ang Hsi reign (1686AD). Its coins reduced in weight to 1 mace [1 mace = 3.731 grams]. Chao Ch'ing Mint cast cash for one year only, it was closed in 1687. This cash cash is special with a big Manchu script "Kuang" inscribed on the reverse. The colour and diameter of this coin is different from the common Kwangtung copper cash. The weight of this cash is 3.5 grams. So I think this cash might be cast by the Chao Ch'ing Mint, or it is a private issued. According to the Chinese numismatic references, all the later minted Kwangtung cash were 0.7 mace [about 2.611 grams] during Kanghsi reign. The later minted cash is known as 輕錢 "Ch'ing-Chien" [means light cash].
Obverse Reverse Description

By courtesy of the Chinese Coinage Web Site		 No. 0305
Mint: Kwangchow
Diam. 24.8 mm
Wt. 2.7 g.
Rareness E
Mint Evolution & Peculiarity
I have several what I think were later cast Kwangtung Kanghsi cash. But they are at least 3g, all the diameters are 24mm. I wonder whether there are something wrong with the Chinese numismatic references, they mentioned about the later minted Kwangtung cash are 0.7 mace [about 2.611 grams] during Kanghsi reign. Luckily, Mr. V. Belyaev kindly gave me these images of the common Kwangtung copper cash.
Obverse Reverse Description
No. 0059
Mint: Kwangchow
Diam. 24 mm
Wt. 3.3 g.
Rareness E
Mint Evolution & Peculiarity
This is another common Kwangtung Kanghsi cash. It is a little heavier than the above cash. The design of the Manchu script is the same as the previous cash, but the metal content [shown by surfaces colour] is different. This cash is what I call it common cash, but it actually is not so many existing. The mintage of Kwantung cash (K'anghsi) is about 1.5% of the mintage of the whole country.


More about K'ang Hsi T'ung Pao
Part A, or Part B, or Part C, or Part D, and or Part E.



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