Vietnamese coin – HCR58936

Obverse

Inscription:

熙元通寶

Design:

Li script long-arm 寶, with 元 in Vietnamese seal script

Reverse

Inscription:

None

Design:

Plain, with raised inner and outer rims

Information

Period

Vietnamese

Denomination

1 Đồng (一銅)

Material

bronze

Technique

cast

Dating

c. 1000 - c. 1700

Measurements
Acquisition
Additional information
Ticket
References
Credit

Weight (g)

2.62

Diameter (mm)

24.3

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)

Hi Nguyên thông bảo

Reference

Barker : Page 255, Figure 118.2

Note:

Barker illustrates a coin of this type and mentions the now discredited theory that it was produced by the Trần era rebel Nguyên Bồ.

Reference

Thierry CMVS : Pages 13, 48, Figure 117

Note:

Thierry notes (CMVS, p. 13) that there is no evidence from historical documents of a reign title to associate this coin with the Trần era rebel Nguyên Bồ. The inscription is a hybrid of a Xi Ning yuan bao (read clockwise) and any X X tong bao coin read crosswise (TBRL). Thierry only dated these privately minted coins very approximately, between the 11th and 16th centuries.

Reference

Hartill GCC : Page 102, Figure 2.20

Note:

Hartill (and Barker) illustrate two varieties of Hi Nguyên thông bảo coins, with long and short armed bao. These unofficial coins are placed within Hartill’s category of Large Copper – Distinct Calligraphy. Group 2. (“Hi Nguyen Type”).

Contributors to this coin record

jmairat, mritchie, cgallacher