His Story Treasures Presents. 1861 Qing Dynasty Qixiang Zhongbao Dang Ten Cash – Zhizhen AU90 Certified – The Coin of a Vanished Era. Some coins circulated for centuries. Others existed for only a fleeting moment before history swept them away. This remarkable Qixiang Zhongbao Dang Ten belongs to the latter-a coin struck during one of the most dramatic and transformative years in the entire history of Imperial China. The year was 1861. The mighty Qing Empire stood at the edge of uncertainty. The devastating Taiping Rebellion still ravaged vast regions of China, foreign powers pressed against imperial borders, and within the Forbidden City, a struggle for supreme power was unfolding. When the Xianfeng Emperor died in 1861, his young son ascended the throne. The new reign title chosen for the empire was “Qixiang” , meaning Auspicious Fortune. Yet fate would decree otherwise. Before the reign title could fully take hold, one of the most famous palace coups in Chinese history occurred-the Xinyou Coup . Led by Empress Dowager Cixi and Prince Gong, the coup overthrew the regency government and dramatically altered the course of Qing history. The reign title “Qixiang” was abolished almost immediately and replaced with the far more familiar Tongzhi . As a result, coins bearing the inscription ” ” were struck only for an extraordinarily brief period, making them among the most historically significant and sought-after issues of the late Qing Dynasty. This impressive specimen represents the substantial Dang Ten denomination, intended to circulate as ten standard cash coins. Larger and heavier than ordinary cash pieces, these coins were issued during a time when the Qing government desperately sought to stabilize its finances amid rebellion and war. The obverse proudly bears the four characters , while the reverse displays the Manchu mint inscription, reflecting the bilingual traditions of the Qing imperial mint system. Certified by Zhizhen Grading and awarded an exceptional AU90 (90) grade, this specimen exhibits strong details, bold calligraphy, attractive original surfaces, and excellent overall preservation for a coin struck during one of China’s most turbulent eras. To hold this coin is to hold a tangible relic of a reign that effectively vanished before it truly began-a silent witness to court intrigue, imperial succession, and the rise of the woman who would dominate Chinese politics for nearly half a century: Empress Dowager Cixi. Few coins capture such a pivotal historical moment with such immediacy. Dynasty: Qing Dynasty . Reign Title: Qixiang . Type: Qixiang Zhongbao . Denomination: Dang Ten . Diameter: 35.5 mm. Thickness: 2.5 mm. Weight: 15.7 g. Grade: AU90 (90). Authenticity: Certified and guaranteed genuine. Extremely short-lived reign title issue. Issued during the famous Xinyou Coup of 1861. Closely associated with the rise of Empress Dowager Cixi. Large denomination “Dang Ten” cash coin. Highly collectible late Qing transitional issue. Every coin preserves a moment in history. Few preserve an entire turning point of an empire. His Story Treasures – Bringing History to Life, One Artifact at a Time.
