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Historical · China
Qianlong Tongbao cash
A Qing brass cash coin with a square opening and clearly photographed inscriptions. This specimen comes from the Board of Revenue mint in Beijing.
Flip this coin →Free to flip. Two sides. Equal chances.
The story behind the coin
This paired photograph shows a Qianlong Tongbao cash coin attributed by its source to the Bao Quan, or Board of Revenue, mint in Beijing, circa 1740–1745. The source identifies small, regular characters, a broad rim and a gap between the upper loops of the Manchu boo character. The photograph preserves the specimen’s original patina and square central opening.
Which side is heads?
- Heads
- The four Chinese characters 乾隆通寶 around a square central opening.
- Tails
- The Manchu Boo chiowan mint inscription, identifying Bao Quan, around the square opening.
A different coin. The same fair toss.
The artwork changes, but every virtual toss still has a 50/50 chance of heads or tails. We simulate the movement; the result is chosen independently. This is not a simulation of the physical balance of a historical coin.
Jean-Michel Moullec, via Wikimedia Commons / Flickr. CC BY 2.0. Paired photograph cropped, background removed and resized; original patina retained. Image license ↗ View source record ↗