河南源兴银炉五十两银锭。重1776.5 克。源兴银炉，乙亥年造（即1875年）。大尺寸，浓郁石板灰色，轻微积土，光线下旋转可见虹彩闪烁。 戳记深峻，字体清晰，兴字一小处稍弱。仔细检查可见左边戳记壁有一小凿痕，已有包浆，与周遭融为一体。铭文深峻，保存极佳。<em>同治帝于 1875 年驾崩，而且未有留下继承人。慈禧太后遂拥立其年仅三岁的外甥载湉为帝，年号为光绪。 光绪在位初年由慈溪太后及慈安太后垂帘听政，前者为圣母皇太后，后者为母后皇太后。 1881 年，慈安太后崩逝，光绪帝时年九岁，自此慈禧太后独揽大权。</em>(t) CHINA. Henan Yuanbao. Provincial Principal Ingots. Silver 50 Tael Local Tax Ingot, CD (1875). Likely Kuang-hsu (Guangxu). Graded MS 60 by GBCA Grading Company.BMC-Not listed. Weight: 1776.5 gms. Yuan Xing Yin Lu (Yuanxing silver furnace), Yi Hai Nian Zao (Made in the year Yihai[1875]). This handsome large size ingot displays attractive rich gray patina with hints of iridescent hues that pop out when titled in the light and minor earthen deposits. The stamps are bold with clear characters and only a one small area of slight weakness on Xing mentioned for accuracy. Close inspection reveals numerous thin shallow scratches on the face, as is commonly encountered on sycee ingots, long since toned over matching the rest of the ingot. Despite its shortcomings, a handsome example of the type with well applied inscriptions on a nicely preserved large size ingot. <em>In 1875, the Emperor Tongzhi died without any heirs. After his death his mother, Empress Dowager Cixi, selected her nephew Zaitian to succeed him as Emperor Guangxu at the age of three. In the early years of Guangxus reign Empress Cixi and Empress Cian were co-regents with the titles Holy Mother, Empress Dowager and Mother Empress, Empress Dowager. In 1881, Empress Cian unexpectedly died when Guangxu was nine leaving Empress Cixi as sole regent. </em>
