“咸豐”是清文(wen)宗(zong)的年號,咸豐年間(jian)正值太平天國革命(ming)運動的高潮時(shi)期。此時(shi)民怨沸騰,清政府(fu)為(wei)了茍延(yan)殘喘,在錢幣鑄行(xing)上大做文(wen)章(zhang),將(jiang)財政危(wei)機(ji)轉嫁到(dao)老百(bai)姓身上。相繼推(tui)出“咸豐通寶”、“咸豐重寶”、“咸豐元寶”種類繁多的錢幣。
咸豐(feng)元(yuan)年首先準備開鑄(zhu)“咸豐(feng)通寶”制(zhi)(zhi)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)。由于鴉片戰爭、列強(qiang)的(de)(de)掠奪(duo)和(he)太平天(tian)國革命運動(dong)的(de)(de)發生(sheng),錢(qian)(qian)(qian)局鑄(zhu)造(zao)制(zhi)(zhi)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)已很(hen)(hen)難正常進(jin)行(xing),很(hen)(hen)多(duo)省錢(qian)(qian)(qian)局實際上處(chu)于停頓狀態,即使開鑄(zhu),也是偷工減(jian)料。因而(er)(er)造(zao)成咸豐(feng)通寶制(zhi)(zhi)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)精好者少,而(er)(er)粗制(zhi)(zhi)濫造(zao)的(de)(de)多(duo),大(da)(da)都(dou)質劣而(er)(er)輕小,或造(zao)成鐵錢(qian)(qian)(qian)、鉛錢(qian)(qian)(qian)代替銅錢(qian)(qian)(qian)。咸豐(feng)元(yuan)年時,規(gui)定(ding)(ding)錢(qian)(qian)(qian)重一錢(qian)(qian)(qian)二(er)分,至第(di)二(er)年,變為一錢(qian)(qian)(qian),但具體鑄(zhu)行(xing)大(da)(da)多(duo)輕于規(gui)定(ding)(ding)重量。
面(mian)文(wen)“咸豐通寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)”,大多楷(kai)書(shu)直讀(du),背左(zuo)滿文(wen)“寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)”,右(you)滿文(wen)記(ji)局(ju)(ju)(ju),計有:“寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)泉、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)源、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)直、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)薊、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)德、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)河、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)濟、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)晉、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)陜、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)鞏、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)蘇、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)浙局(ju)(ju)(ju)、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)昌、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)福、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)臺、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)武、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)南、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)廣、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)桂、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)川、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)云、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)東、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)州、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)黔、寶(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)伊、阿克蘇、喀什噶爾(er)、葉(xie)兒羌、庫(ku)車”共29局(ju)(ju)(ju)。
在太平軍(jun)(jun)連捷,各(ge)(ge)地(di)反清(qing)起義(yi)風起云涌下,清(qing)軍(jun)(jun)疲于奔命,清(qing)廷(ting)驚(jing)慌失措。這(zhe)時,清(qing)朝的(de)軍(jun)(jun)費開(kai)支大(da)(da)增(zeng),而(er)稅額(e)收入大(da)(da)減,再加上鴉片戰爭(zheng)的(de)影響(xiang),導致財政拮據,為(wei)了籌款繼(ji)續鎮壓太平軍(jun)(jun),緩解(jie)財政危機,于咸豐三(san)年(nian)(公元1853年(nian))清(qing)廷(ting)被迫鼓鑄(zhu)(zhu)大(da)(da)錢(qian)。《大(da)(da)錢(qian)圖錄》說:“咸豐三(san)年(nian)(公元1853年(nian)),軍(jun)(jun)務日滋,清(qing)餉不(bu)(bu)能繼(ji),壽陽相國權戶部議,請鑄(zhu)(zhu)當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)十(shi)(shi)大(da)(da)錢(qian),兼增(zeng)鐵冶以(yi)供度支。旋推及當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)五(wu)十(shi)(shi),當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)百錢(qian)。巡防王大(da)(da)臣續請鑄(zhu)(zhu)當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)五(wu)百,當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)千兩種。”說明咸豐大(da)(da)錢(qian)是在迫不(bu)(bu)行(xing)已的(de)情況(kuang)下鑄(zhu)(zhu)行(xing)的(de)。“咸豐重寶”始鑄(zhu)(zhu)當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)十(shi)(shi)大(da)(da)錢(qian),繼(ji)而(er)又開(kai)鑄(zhu)(zhu)當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)五(wu)十(shi)(shi)、當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)百和(he)當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)百以(yi)上,并(bing)令(ling)全國各(ge)(ge)省迅速鑄(zhu)(zhu)造(zao)推行(xing)。“咸豐重寶”鑄(zhu)(zhu)行(xing)情況(kuang)十(shi)(shi)分混亂復雜,當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)值等(deng)次(ci),大(da)(da)小輕(qing)重,鑄(zhu)(zhu)造(zao)材質,鑄(zhu)(zhu)造(zao)工藝(yi),文字書體(ti),錢(qian)文等(deng),在各(ge)(ge)局甚至在同一局監內鑄(zhu)(zhu)造(zao)時,都差異很大(da)(da),以(yi)至有當(dang)(dang)(dang)(dang)值大(da)(da)小和(he)錢(qian)體(ti)大(da)(da)小輕(qing)重倒(dao)置的(de),此外還有鐵錢(qian)和(he)鉛錢(qian)。
咸豐通寶(bao)(bao)(bao)以小平(ping)錢(qian)為(wei)主,也有(you)(you)大錢(qian),這(zhe)里之列部(bu)分少(shao)見、稀見者及其收藏價值,寶(bao)(bao)(bao)泉(quan)小平(ping)母(mu)錢(qian),市(shi)場(chang)價格(ge)(ge)(ge)(ge)在(zai)(zai)3000元(yuan)左右(you),戴書、楷書鐵母(mu),價格(ge)(ge)(ge)(ge)在(zai)(zai)1萬元(yuan)左右(you),寶(bao)(bao)(bao)源小平(ping)母(mu)錢(qian)、鐵母(mu),市(shi)場(chang)價格(ge)(ge)(ge)(ge)在(zai)(zai)3000元(yuan)左右(you),雕母(mu)罕(han)見,地方(fang)局(ju)母(mu)錢(qian)價值一般(ban)高于中(zhong)央局(ju),另有(you)(you)地方(fang)局(ju)部(bu)頒樣錢(qian),價格(ge)(ge)(ge)(ge)在(zai)(zai)6000元(yuan)左右(you),寶(bao)(bao)(bao)福局(ju)當十至當百(bai)仍有(you)(you)稱(cheng)通寶(bao)(bao)(bao)者,其中(zhong)最(zui)珍(zhen)稀的為(wei)咸豐通寶(bao)(bao)(bao)背大清壹百(bai)大錢(qian),僅見,2009年(nian)嘉德秋拍(pai)成交價格(ge)(ge)(ge)(ge)196萬元(yuan),至今仍為(wei)清錢(qian)最(zui)高成交記錄,寶(bao)(bao)(bao)濟局(ju)小平(ping)稀見,價格(ge)(ge)(ge)(ge)在(zai)(zai)6000元(yuan)左右(you),寶(bao)(bao)(bao)薊局(ju)小平(ping)罕(han)見。