清代机制铜元的铸造始于1900年(清光绪二十六年),止于1911年(宣统三年)。铸造流通时间尽管只有十余年,但其鼎盛时期全国共有十七省二十局开机铸造铜元。浙江省铜元局于光绪二十七年(1901)二月申请开制,光绪二十八年经上海瑞生洋行向英国伯明翰造币厂购得造币机器,于光绪二十九年正月正式在杭州旧军装局内开制铜元。
The founding of the Qing Dynasty copper yuan was started in 1900 (the 26th year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty) and ended in 1911 (the third year of Xuantong). Although the casting time is only more than ten years, there were 17 provinces and 20 bureaus in the peak period of casting copper yuan. The copper yuan Bureau of Zhejiang Province applied for the opening of the system in February, 1901. In the 28th year of Guangxu's reign, it purchased the minting machine from Birmingham mint of England through Shanghai Ruisheng foreign bank. In the first month of the 29th year of Guangxu's reign, it officially opened the copper yuan in the old military uniform Bureau of Hangzhou.
下图即为马先生所藏的浙江省造光绪元宝铜币。
The following figure shows the copper coins of the Guangxu Yuanbao of Zhejiang province that Mr. Ma collected.
直径:2.8cm 厚:0.15cm 重:7.3g
Diameter: 2.8cm Thickness: 0.15cm Weight: 7.3g
钱币正面珠圈内为“光绪元宝”四字,圈外上环“浙江省造”四字,下环“当十”二字;钱背中心为蟠龙图案,磅礴大气,背面纹路清晰,边齿规整,如刀刻所成,铸造工艺神乎其技,看上去仿佛是一幅油画,极其瑰丽,美得动人心魄。
There are four characters of "Guangxu Yuanbao" in the front bead circle, four characters of "made in Zhejiang Province" in the upper ring and two characters of "Dangshi" in the lower ring outside the bead circle. The center of the back of the coin is a dragon pattern, which is majestic and atmospheric, with clear lines on the back and regular teeth. It looks like the carving of a knife. The casting process is superb. It looks like a painting imitating Buddha, which is extremely magnificent and charming.
钱币包浆老旧自然,此钱币虽然经过无情岁月的洗礼及纷乱的战争年代,依然保存完好,有较高的收藏价值!实属难得。
The coins are old and natural. This coin is still well preserved and has a high collection value despite the baptism of ruthless years and chaotic war years! It's really rare.
据考,浙江铜元模具应是由英国著名雕刻师艾伦•韦恩设计,而同年又接获湖北省的订单,因浙江与湖北两厂所要求的开制时间非常紧迫,所以,艾伦•韦恩极有可能将已经设计好的“浙江当十水龙”龙模配上新设计的湖北当十币面,以完成模具预审的第一阶段,“湖北圆珠龙”样币(俗称“湖北浙江龙”)就在这样的情况下应运而生。而此版浙江当十水龙应可算是流通版的始祖。
According to the research, Zhejiang copper Yuan mold should be designed by Alan Wayne, a famous British sculptor, and received an order from Hubei Province in the same year. Because the time required by Zhejiang and Hubei factories is very urgent, it is very likely that Alan Wayne will match the designed dragon mold of "Zhejiang as a ten water dragon" with the newly designed one of Hubei as ten coins to complete the first stage of mold pre-trial, The sample coin of "Hubei yuanzhulong" (commonly known as "Hubei Zhejiang dragon") came into being under such circumstances. This edition of Zhejiang dangshishuilong should be regarded as the ancestor of the circulation edition.