Kuang-hsü Palace Cash or Amulet ND Certified 82 by Gong Bo Grading, Board of Works mint, KM-Unl., FD-Unl., Schjöth-Unl., Hartill-Unl., Jen-Unl., Lockhart Collection-Unl., Shanghai Museum-Unl., CCH-465. 62x10mm. 236.6gm. A most intriguing and enigmatic amuletic type, whose exact reasons for production remain somewhat enigmatic. "Palace Cash" or "Palace Coin" (Gong Qian) as a moniker is generally used to classify any of a wide range of special-purposes pieces produced by the Board of Revenue and Board of Works for use in ceremonial and celebratory occasions within the Royal Palace. Their development is hardly surprising given the long-time association of the offering of coins with ceremonial acts of sacrifice meant to guarantee blessings and good fortune, with the tradition of privately manufactured coins produced for weddings, births, and beam-raising ceremonies having a centuries-long history. What is generally perplexing about this piece, however, is the fact that, most often, such purpose-made items bore characters related to auspicious themes, most famously the "Tian Xia Tai Ping" issues documented in the Register of Large Cash as being used in the Palace of Ancestor Worship. What is more, the majority of representatives we have been able to consult with more "coin-like" designs are typically more in line with the size of the standard Cash (cf. Zeno-174060, Hartill-pg. 300), rather than the immense size seen here, which dwarfs even Wen Zong's Fuzhou 100 Cash--the largest circulating Cash type issued under the Qing Dynasty. Clearly cast in a sand mold and hand-finished in the manner of traditional cash coins (filing marks appear clearly in the central hole), this offering is sure to serve as a node for future research. Ex. Auction World Auction 21 (July 2020, Lot 1080); Hirao Sanpei Collection

HID09801242017

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