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Shunzhi Tongbao

Type Object Region China Time 1644–1661

Shunzhi Tongbao is a round, square-holed copper coin minted during the Qing dynasty's Shunzhi era, serving as legal tender in the early Qing.

Timeline

  1. 1644Baoyuan Mint, Beijing · BeijingAfter establishing Beijing as the capital in 1644, the Qing court ordered the minting of Shunzhi Tongbao to replace the chaotic late-Ming coinage. The initial coins bore the Chinese legend 'Shunzhi Tongbao' with a mint mark on the reverse, marking the formal beginning of the Qing legal copper coin system.
  2. 1645–1646Capital and provincial mints · ChinaAround the fifth year of Shunzhi the Qing court adjusted the copper coin reverse system, adding Manchu script to some coins' reverses to indicate the mint and reflect the joint use of Manchu and Chinese administration. Mints across the provinces gradually opened, and the monetary standard progressively interfaced with the Qing local fiscal system.
  3. 1647–1650Newly occupied areas of Jiangnan and South China · East ChinaAs Qing forces marched south to pacify the Southern Ming, Shunzhi Tongbao was gradually introduced in Jiangnan, South China, and other newly occupied areas, circulating alongside silver. The coin became an important tool for the Qing to establish economic order and collect taxes, and by around 1650 circulated widely in areas under effective Qing control.

Sources