Vietnamese coin – HCR58886

Obverse

Inscription:

宋元通寶

Design:

Seal script

Reverse

Inscription:

None

Design:

Plain, with raised rims

Information

Period

Vietnamese

Denomination

1 Đồng (一銅)

Material

bronze

Technique

cast

Dating

c. 1533 - c. 1548

Measurements
Acquisition
Additional information
Ticket
References
Credit

Weight (g)

3.52

Diameter (mm)

24.8

Acquisition method

gift

Acquisition collection reference

Kutsuki Masatsuna

Acquisition date

10/5/1922

Source

Indian Institute, Oxford

Acquisition credit

Transferred from the Indian Institute, Oxford, 1922; to them, gifted/bequeathed by Howell Wills.

Transliteration (obverse)

Tống Nguyên Thông Bảo

Reference

Hartill GCC : Page 100, Figure 2.3)

Note:

Hartill (GCC, p. 100, Figure 2.3) illustrates this striking coin, which bears a resemblance in the style of the 元 and the 寶 to the Nguyên Hòa Thông Bảo coin issued by Lê Trang Tông for his Nguyên Hòa (元和) reign (1533-1548) which inaugurated the restoration of the Later Lê dynasty. HCR 58886 is of a good size and weight, comparable with the official Nguyên Hòa coins. Hartill’s suggested dating to the Nguyên Hòa era has been followed here.

Reference

Thierry CMV : Page 76, Figure 1133

Note:

Thierry (CMV, p. 76) regarded his small example of this coin (23 mm, 2.03 g), with shallow relief, as an uncertain issue dating from the 15th to 18th centuries. It is possible that his coin was made by using the larger original coin to make the mould.

Contributors to this coin record

jmairat, mritchie, cgallacher