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Antique "Tai-Ching-Ti-Kuo" Great Qing Empire China Copper Coin 

Size: 36 millimeters

Face A: The Obverse (Administrative and Issue Details)

This face is divided into several sections of text that identify the issuing authority and the value of the coin.

1. The four large center characters

• 大清銅幣 (Dà qīng tóng bì)

• Meaning: "Great Qing Dynasty Copper Coin". It was the unified official denomination for the new copper coins that the empire introduced in the early 20th century to standardize the monetary system.

2. The small character in the center circle

• 鄂 (It is)

• Meaning: It is the official abbreviation for the Hubei province. Indicates that the original design corresponds to the mint (mint) of that region.

3. Side characters (left and right)

• 户部 (Hù bu)

• Meaning: "Ministry of Finance" o "Board of Revenue". It indicates that the issue was backed directly by the empire's central financial authorities.

4. The two small characters diagonally (top left and right)

• 丙午 (Bǐng wǔ)

• Meaning: Date of Chinese cyclical sexagesimal calendar. Corresponds to the year 1906 (the year of the Fire Horse).

5. The four characters at the top (Manchu script)

• Meaning: It is the Manchu alphabet translation (the language of the ruling Qing imperial family) of the phrase "Great Qing Dynasty Copper Coin".

6. The five characters at the bottom

• 當制錢二十文 (Dāng zhì qián èr shí wén)

• Meaning: "Equivalent to 20 Traditional Coins (Cash)". This particular piece represents double the value of the previous one (which was 10文).

Face B: The Reverse (Imperial Symbology and Western Characters)

This face combines Chinese cultural heritage with the international openness of the time through inscriptions in English.

1. The text on top (Chinese characters)

• 光緒年造 (Guāng xù nián zào)

• Meaning: "Minted in the Guangxu Years". References to the reign period of Emperor Guangxu (1875-1908).

2. The text at the bottom (Latin Alphabet)

• TAI-CHING-TI-KUO COPPER COIN

• Meaning: "Great Qing Empire Copper Coin" (Tai-Ching-Ti-Kuo is the ancient transliteration of 大清帝国). It was added to facilitate trade with foreign merchants and banks at ports of exchange.

3. The central motif: The Dragon "Frontal" (Un-Dragon)

Unlike the profile dragon of other coins, this one shows the Imperial Dragon Facing Head, surrounded by stylized clouds and fire waves, protecting the flaming pearl in the center. In Qing culture, the front dragon was a symbol of supreme authority, reserved exclusively for official items of the Emperor and Imperial Government.