Part 1 - Coins Cast Before Yakub Beg and the 1864 Uprisings
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Type 1 - Qianlong Yerchim
The Yarkand mint began casting coins in 1760. This type (1) is distinguished by
the Manchu spelling "Yerchim" for the mint town on the reverse. Most
specialists regard this as the earliest type of red cash. Du writes that the
Manchu was changed to "Yarkand" after one year. The Yarkand mint was
closed in 1769 (Millward p 65).
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D1-19 (rarity 6). 6.5 grams.
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Type 2 - Qianlong Yarkand
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Qian Long
Tong Bao
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Yarkand
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Yarkand
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6
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7+
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*
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1760-1769
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D1 (25-31)
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6-13
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183
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This type has the Manchu spelling "Yarkand." This spelling is more common than the Yerchim type
above.
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Similar to D1-31. 8.5 grams.
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D1-27? (rarity 3). 7.2 grams.
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Type 3 - Qianlong Aqsu
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Qian Long
Tong Bao
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Aqsu
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Aqsu
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6
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7+
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*
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1761-1765
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D2 (1-11)
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14-21
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184-185
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The Aqsu mint was opened in 1761 and moved to Ush in 1765. When the Aqsu mint was reopened in
1799, during the reign of Jiaqing, it continued producing coins in Qianlong's name. This type (3) refers to
the coins made in the earlier period, and is distinguished by the style of the Turki lettering and weights
usually above 6 grams.
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D2-6 (rarity 5). 9.2 grams - unusually heavy.
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Type 4 - Qianlong Ush
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Qian Long
Tong Bao
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Ush
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Ush
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10
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8+
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1765-1799
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D3 (1-47)
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62-73
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186-189
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The Aqsu mint moved to Ush and began casting coins under that mint name in 1765. Ush also continued
casting coins in the name of Qianlong during the Jiaqing reign until Qianlong's death. Because it is
impossible to draw the line between those coins made before and those made after Qianlong's abdication,
all of these coins are now considered here as type 4. There is, however, a progression in weight and style
from pieces resembling the early Qianlong Aqsu and Yarkand coins to specimens similar to those made in
Jiaqing's name. On this basis, it is possible to divide the Qianlong Ush coins into early, middle, and late
types.
The early group is similar in form and style to the Qianlong Aqsu (type 3) coins, and usually weighs 7-8
grams. The bottom element of the "Long" character takes the form of a "sheng" (with a simple bottom
stroke). The middle period group starts with those coins that have "Long" bottom element with a
hooked bottom (looks a bit like an anchor). The coins in the middle group are distinguished from the late
group because the style of the Manchu legend is similar to the early group (see the drawings below). It
is known that the weight of red cash was officially decreased by 25% in 1771 and a further 20% in 1775
(Millward p 73). According to these changes, coins of the middle group (which usually weigh 5-7 grams)
would have been cast before 1775. The late group is distinguished by the Manchu lettering and usually
has weights of 5 grams or less.
For much of it's existence, the Ush mint was the only mint making red cash in Xinjiang. The Ush mint was
supposedly moved back to Aqsu in 1799, the year of Qianlong's death. However, a recent hoard of about
40 coins, consisting of Jiaqing Aqsu (type 7), Qianlong Jiaqing period Aqsu (type 8), Daoguang Early
Aqsu (type 11), and late Qianlong Ush coins (this type), all in excellent condition, suggests that the late
Ush coins were made throughout Jiaqing's reign. Perhaps the Aqsu mint was reopened in 1799 and the
Ush mint continued to operate.
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D3. 7.2 grams. Early group.
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D3-4 (rarity 6). 6.6 grams. An unusually light
example of the early group.
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D3. 4.8 grams. Middle group.
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D3. 5.4 grams. Middle group.
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D-3. 4.0 grams. Late group.
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Type 5 - Qianlong Yili
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D& J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Qian Long
Tong Bao
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Bao Yi
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8
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7-
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*
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1775-
1795/1853
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D4 (1-67)
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74-89
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197-199
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D4-26 variant. (rarity 3). This variety is
distinguished by the doubled image on the the
reverse. 4.3 grams.
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D4-53 (rarity 6). 3.5 grams. Dash above hole
on reverse.
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Type 6 - Jiaqing Yili
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Jia Qing
Tong Bao
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Bao Yi
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7
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6+
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*
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1796-1820
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)
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148-162
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200-203
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Like the Qianlong coins of Yili, the Jiaqing Baoyi coins come with a wide variety of dots and dashes in the
reverse fields.
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D11-38 variant. (rarity 7). Similar to D11-38
but with even larger Manchu legend. Dash
below hole. 4.0 grams.
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D11-3? (rarity 7). 4.1 grams.
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D11 unlisted variety with a large lump above
the hole and a dash below. 6.1 grams.
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D11-52 variant (rarity 4). 5.5 grams. Two
dashes below hole on reverse.
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Type 7 - Jiaqing Aqsu
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Jia Qing
Tong Bao
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Aqsu
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Aqsu
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9
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7-
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1799-1820
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D10 (1-25)
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137-146
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194-195
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D10 6.1 grams. This is a very thick and
heavy coin, found with a group of early
Qianlong coins.
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D10 large "ji." 3.5 grams.
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Type 8 - Jiaqing "Qianlong" Aqsu
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Qian Long
Tong Bao
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Aqsu
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Aqsu
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9
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7-
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1799-
1820
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D2 (12 - 29)
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22-23
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190
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The Aqsu mint re-opened in 1799, the year of Qianlong's death, and produced coins in the name of both
Qianlong and Jiaqing. This type (8) refers to the Qianlong coins produced during the Jiaqing reign, which
are stylistically identical to the Jiaqing coins. They are easily distinguished by the way the word "Aqsu"
is written in Turki and the hooked bottom element of the word "Long."
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Unlisted. 4.9 grams. Doubling on the obverse
and reverse.
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Type 9 - Jiaqing Reign Qianlong Ush
This type has been merged with type 4 because there is no reliable way to distinguish which coins were
made before Qianlong's abdication and which were made after.
Type 10 - Daoguang Yili
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Dao Guang
Tong Bao
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Bao Yi
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8
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7-
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*
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1821-1850
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D13
(1-58)
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190-202
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204-205
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D13-(47-52) (rarity 8). 4.0 grams. Dash
above hole on reverse.Dash above hole on
reverse.Dash above hole on reverse.above
hole on reverse.
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D13-57 (rarity 7). 4.2 grams. Dashes above
and below hole on reverse.
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D13-24 (rarity 3). 4.5 grams. Crescent above
the hole on reverse.
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Type 11 - Early Daoguang Aqsu
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Dao Guang
Tong Bao
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Aqsu
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Aqsu
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9
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9+
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1821-1826
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D12
(1-23)
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163-173
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196
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Aqsu remained the only mint in Southern Xinjiang during Daoguang's reign, and its coins followed the
precedents of the Jiaqing Aqsu coins rather closely in the early Daoguang years. The coinage was
interrupted by the invasion/insurrection of the Sufi leader Jahangir in 1826, and this type was not
resumed after Jahangir's capture. Despite the short period of mintage these coins are quite plentiful.
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Type 12 - Daoguang Year Eight - Five
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Dao Guang
Tong Bao
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Ba Nian
Wu
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Aqsu
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Aqsu
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9
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7-
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1828-1850
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D12
(24-44)
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174-178
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208-209
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In the eighth year of Daoguang's reign Qing troops reconquered southern Xinjiang and captured
Jahangir. To finance this military operation the government inflated the value of the red cash, casting
coins with the values of five or ten inscribed at the bottom of the reverse. At the top of the reverse the
words "year eight" are inscribed. This type, valued at five, is much less common than the worth ten
coins. Weights range from 2 to 5 grams.
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D12. 5.2 grams. An unusually heavy piece.
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Type 13 - Daoguang Year Eight Ten
This is the year eight "ten" type. This type includes a number of varieties, mostly distinguished by
the way the eight is written. Weights range from 3 to 6 grams.
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D12. 4.9 grams. This is a scarcer variety with a connected "ba" (eight).
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Type 14 - Xianfeng Yili Unit
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
|
Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
|
Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Xian Feng
Tong Bao
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Bao Yi
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3
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4-
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***
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1851-1853
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D17
(1-20)
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293-306
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206-207
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D17-1 (rarity 3). 3.9 grams.
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D17-1 (rarity 3). 5.1 grams.
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D17-13 (Very Rare). Distinguished by large dot above the reverse hole. 4.7 grams.
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Type 15- Xianfeng Yili "Worth 10"
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
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Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
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Manchu
Legend
|
Turki
Legend
|
Du
Rarity
|
Zhu
Rarity
|
D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
|
Du #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Xian Feng
Zhong Bao
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Dang Shi
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Bao Yi
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3
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2+
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***
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1853-1854
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D17
(42-67)
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293-327
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251-252
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In year three of the Xianfeng reign (1853) the currency throughout China changed to a multiple cash
system, and following this policy Bao Yi cast worth 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 coins (the 50 and above
coins are not treated in this catalogue). The "Dang Shi" (Worth 10) coins were first cast in copper and
bronze, and in the beginning of 1854 a few coins were cast in iron (Zhu p22), probably due to a copper
shortage in the region. All of the Bao Yi worth ten coins are rare, but the copper are rarer than the
bronze, and the iron coins are very rare.
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D17-62 (very rare). Zhu 327 (rarity 1+). 14.7 grams. Iron.
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Type 16 - Xianfeng Aqsu "Worth 5"
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
|
Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
|
Manchu
Legend
|
Turki
Legend
|
Du
Rarity
|
Zhu
Rarity
|
D&J
Rarity
|
Approx.
Dates
|
Du #
|
Zhu #
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D&J #
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Xian Feng
Tong Bao
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Dang Wu
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Aqsu
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Aqsu
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8
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6+
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**
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1853-1861
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D16
(1-13)
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250-256
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223-224
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The adoption of the multiple cash system also affected the coinage of southern Xinjiang, where various
denominations, 5 through 100 were cast. However, the coins were still made of copper instead of the
bronze used in the rest of the empire. Aqsu was the first of the southern mints to start casting coins in
the multiple system. This type is Aqsu's "Worth 5."
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D16-9 (rarity 8). 4.2 grams.
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Type 17 - Xianfeng Aqsu "Worth 10"
Chinese
Legend
(obv)
|
Chinese
Legend,
(rev)
|
Manchu
Legend
|
Turki
Legend
|
Du
Rarity
|
Zhu
Rarity
|
D&J
Rarity
|
Approx.
Dates
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