China - Early Imperial. NAN MING: Yong Li, 1646-1659, AE cash (4.33g), H-21.59, chi above on reverse, crude VF, RR, ex Jiùjinshan Collection. Part of the "Chi Hua qian" (Imperial Message coins) series which it is said can be arranged to form a message. The message is traditionally given as: yu chi du bu dao [fu] liu yue ming ding guo, "Imperial Orders, the governor-generals, Daotais, [and the Prefects] are to guard Yue [Guangdong and Guangxi] and Assist Ming to Settle the State". The differences in the writing of Yong and Tong suggest that these coins were the product of more than one mint. In 1651, it is recorded that the casting of the Zunyi mint in Guizhou was changed from Xingchao coins to Yongli coins for Prince Yongming. Square head tong coins of the San Fan Rebellion can be ascribed to the Guizhou mint, and others to the Yunnan mint by virtue of the gui and yun characters on the reverse. Presumably square head tong Imperial Message coins were also cast in Guizhou. Other proposed readings of the "message" are even more forced, and it is very likely that in reality there is no hidden message in these characters, and that they were picked at random for use as privy marks.
