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Primary sourceArtifact1408–1424

Yongle Tongbao Coin

Ming imperial mints · 1408–1424

A bronze coin minted under the Yongle Emperor's reign title, widely circulated and exported to Japan.

This coin, minted under the Yongle Emperor's reign title, shows his monetary policy and trade reach.

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Photograph of a round bronze coin with a square central hole. Dark brown-green patina with reddish-brown areas. Four Chinese characters are cast around the hole on the obverse, and the rim is visible around the edge.
Yongle Tongbao coin, 1408–1424. British Museum and other collections.

About this source

What it is

A round bronze coin with a square central hole, cast by Ming imperial mints between 1408 and 1424. It bears the Yongle Emperor's reign title and is held in collections including the British Museum.

Why it matters

Coins like this circulated widely within China and were exported in large numbers to Japan, showing how the Yongle Emperor's monetary policy connected to broader East Asian trade networks of his time.

Look closer

  • What can the characters on the coin tell you about who issued it?
  • Why might a government want its reign title stamped on everyday money?
  • What does the coin's spread to Japan suggest about trade links beyond China's borders?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Yongle Emperor on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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