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Mother coin, 母錢 Virgin Hole! 10 Cash Qi Xiang Zhong Bao Board of Labour Mint 186

Mother coin, 母錢 Virgin Hole! 10 Cash Qi Xiang Zhong Bao Board of Labour Mint 1861AD

ANCIENT CHINA

Qing Dynasty

Mother coin, 母錢, Virgin Hole!


Qi Xiang Zhong Bao 1861 AD

Rev: Manchurian inscription "Bao Yuan"

Beijing Board of Labour Mint !

當 十 One Coin Value 10 Cash

 

Authenticity guaranteed for all items!

Reference: Hartill 22.1124

Weight: 20 grams; Size: 37 mm

 

“Mother Coins 母錢” in old Chinese coin making

During the Han Dynasty, Chinese mints partially solved the inconsistencies in cast coins by using bronze master moulds. Master moulds were used to prepare the clay moulds which will be used for the actual casting.

Advances in the casting process in the sixth century resulted in the introduction mother coins (mu qian). Mother coins were used to impress the designs of the coin on very fine wet sand that would act as moulds for the coins. A mother coin was prepared by carefully engraving a pattern of the coin in a material that can be easily worked with such as tin.

The coin casting process involves the use of a rectangular frame filled with fine wet sand, presumably mixed with clay, and sprinkled with charcoal or coal dust. The dust allows the molten metal to flow smoothly. It also acts as a layer that separates the two halves of the moulds.

Mother coins are pressed on the wet sand in the wooden frame (first half of the mould). Rods are placed between the coins to create channels where the molten metal can flow. A second frame (second half of the mould) is placed on top and pressed tightly. This imprints the designs of the obverse and reverse of the mother coins on the sand in the frames.

The mother coins are then removed and transferred on top of the second frame to create new moulds. This processed is repeated until up to fifteen layers of moulds are created. The wooden frames are bound tautly and filled with molten metal, usually bronze.

This process creates a “coin tree,” cast coins connected by hardened metal on the channels. After brushing off the sand, coins are broken of the “tree.”

To make the edges smooth, the coins are strung together on a long square rod and the coin edges are filed down. It is further polished in tubs of chaff or sand before the final stringing.

The use of mother coins proved to be effective in controlling the quality of the coins. Slight differences between mother coins still existed however skillful the carver is.

Emperor MU TSUNG
AD 1861-1874

Mu Tsung is unusual amongst Ch'ing dynasty emperors in that he had two reign titles, although one of them was only in use for a very short period of time (probably a few weeks).

Reign title: CH'I-HSIANG, AD 1861

Coins of this reign title are very rare and most if not all examples are either seed or mother cash. Hartill (page 393) says he does not believe any circulation examples were cast, and only lists examples from Board of Works and Board of Revenue mint. Schjoth did not list any examples.

 

 

 

 

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Mother coin, 母錢 Virgin Hole! 10 Cash Qi Xiang Zhong Bao Board of Labour Mint 186

$199.00Price
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