Coin China Qing, Xianfeng - 10 Cash, Type M1 - 1854 / 1857 Boo Chiowan

This coin is a 10 Cash issued during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty, struck between 1854 and 1857. It bears the mint mark Boo Chiowan, corresponding to the Mint of the Board of Revenue (Hu Bu) in Beijing. More specifically, this coin was produced by the Southern Agency, one of the workshops in the imperial capital responsible for monetary production.

Like the vast majority of Chinese coins of this era, it adopts the traditional circular shape with a central square hole, allowing them to be strung on cords to facilitate their transport and counting.

The reign of Xianfeng (1850-1861) was marked by profound instability. The Taiping Rebellion, which broke out in 1850, devastated much of southern China and severely strained imperial finances. To cope with the considerable military expenditures, the Qing government multiplied the issuance of high-denomination coins, including these 10 cash pieces, often struck with a face value exceeding their intrinsic metal value. At the same time, China was subjected to growing pressure from Western powers, particularly in the context of the Second Opium War (1856-1860), which resulted in new territorial and commercial concessions. This context of political, military and economic crisis largely explains the monetary choices of this period.