Vietnamese cash
| Vietnamese cash | |
|---|---|
| Hán-Việt: 文 (Văn) Chữ Nôm: 銅 (Đồng) French: Sapèque | |
 First and last Vietnamese cash coins: Thái Bình Hưng Bảo (太平興寶) issued during the Đinh dynasty (970–980). Bảo Đại Thông Bảo (保大通寶) issued under Bảo Đại (1925–1945). | |
| Denominations | |
| Superunit | |
| 10 | Phân (分) |
| 36–60 | Mạch (陌) / Tiền (錢) |
| 360–600 | Quán (貫) / Nguyên (元)[1][2][3] |
| 20 | Đồng (銅) In the Democratic Republic of Vietnam between 1947 and 1948, making them equal to 5 xu (樞). |
| Demographics | |
| Date of introduction | 970 |
| User(s) |  Vietnam,  French Indochina (until 1945),  North Vietnam (until 1948) |
This infobox shows the latest status before this currency was rendered obsolete. | |
 | This article should specify the language of its non-English content, using {{lang}} or {{transl}} (or {{IPA}} or similar for phonetic transcriptions), with an appropriate ISO 639 code. (September 2021) |
Vietnamese cash (Chinese: 文錢 văn tiền; chữ Nôm: 銅錢 đồng tiền; French: sapèque)[a][b] is a cast round coin with a square hole that was an official currency of Vietnam from the Đinh dynasty in 970 until the Nguyễn dynasty in 1945, and remained in circulation in North Vietnam until 1948. The same type of currency circulated in China, Japan, Korea, and Ryūkyū for centuries. Though the majority of Vietnamese cash coins throughout history were copper coins, lead, iron (from 1528) and zinc (from 1740) coins also circulated alongside them often at fluctuating rates (with 1 copper cash being worth 10 zinc cash in 1882).[7] Coins made from metals of lower intrinsic value were introduced because of various superstitions involving Vietnamese people burying cash coins, as the problem of people burying cash coins became too much for the government. Almost all coins issued by government mints tended to be buried mere months after they had entered circulation. The Vietnamese government began issuing coins made from an alloy of zinc, lead, and tin. As these cash coins tended to be very fragile, they would decompose faster if buried, which caused the Vietnamese people to stop burying their coins.[8][9]
Etymology[]
Sapèque[]
The French term for cash coins, sapèque, comes from the Malay terms sa pek or sa pe meaning 'one pe(k)' (pek, or pie, being a kind of currency), which in turn come from the Chinese word peku/pak (百, Vietnamese reading: bách) meaning 'one-hundred'.[10][11] The origin of the term might have come from the fact that cash coins were typically strung together in strings of around a hundred pieces.[10]
The French adopted the term sapèque in Macau and initially used it to refer to Chinese cash coins but later also applied the term for Vietnamese cash coins.[10]
Slang names[]
In the late 19th century Điêm slang spoken by the lower-class people of Saigon the term tể was used to refer to cash coins; this term was an abbreviation of Tiền (錢).[12]
Currency units[]
Traditionally, the basic units of Vietnamese currency were quan (貫, quán), tiền, and đồng. One quan was 10 tiền, and one tiền was between 50 and 100 đồng, depending on the time period. From the reign of Emperor Trần Thái Tông onward, 1 tiền was 69 đồng in ordinary commercial transactions but 1 tiền was 70 đồng for official transactions. From the reign of Emperor Lê Lợi, 1 tiền was decreed to be 50 đồng. During the Southern and Northern Dynasties of Vietnam period, beginning in 1528, coins were reduced from 24 millimetres (0.94 in) to 23 millimetres (0.91 in) in diameter and diluted with zinc and iron. The smaller coinage was called tiền gián or sử tiền, in contrast to the larger tiền quý (literally, 'valuable cash') or cổ tiền. One quan tiền quý was equivalent to 600 đồng, while 1 quan tiền gián was only 360 đồng.[13] During the Later Lê Dynasty, 1 tiền was 60 đồng; therefore, 600 đồng was 1 quan. During the Yuan Dynasty, Vietnamese traders at the border with China used the rate 1 tiền to 67 đồng. Zinc coins began to appear in Dai Viet during the 18th century. One copper (đồng) coin was worth 3 zinc (kẽm) coins. Beginning with the reign of Emperor Gia Long, both copper and zinc coins were in use. Originally the two coins had equal value, but eventually a copper coin rose to double the worth of a zinc coin, then triple, then sixfold, until the reign of Emperor Thành Thái, it was worth ten times a zinc coin.
History[]
Đinh and Early Lê dynasties[]
The first Vietnamese coins were cast under the rule of the Đinh Dynasty (968–981) with the introduction of the Thái Bình Hưng Bảo (太平興寶) under Đinh Bộ Lĩnh.[14] However, for the next two centuries coins would remain a rarity in the daily lives of the common people, as bartering would remain the dominant means of exchange under both the Đinh and Early Lê dynasties.[15]
Lý dynasty[]
The first cash coins of the Lý dynasty produced during the reign of Emperor Lý Thái Tổ were the Thuận Thiên Đại Bảo (順天大寶), these were among the largest early Vietnamese cash coins with a diameter of 25.5 millimeters.[16] All known variants of this cash coin feature the Chinese character Nguyệt (月) on the top of their reverse sides.[16]
Generally cast coins produced by the Vietnamese from the reign of Lý Thái Tông and onwards were of diminutive quality compared to the Chinese variants.[17] They were often produced with inferior metallic compositions and made to be thinner and lighter than the Chinese wén due to a severe lack of copper that existed during the Lý dynasty.[18] This inspired Chinese traders to recast Chinese coins for export to Vietnam, which caused an abundance of coinage to circulate in the country, prompting the Lý government to suspend the mintage of coins for five decades.[18]
Trần dynasty[]
The production of inferior coinage continued under the Trần dynasty.[19] The production of both government and private cash coins happened at a large scale during the Trần period.[10]
It was under the reign of Trần Dụ Tông that the most cash coins were cast of this period; this was because of several calamities such as failed crops that plagued the country during his reign, which caused the Trần government to issue more coins to the populace as compensation.[19] The internal political struggles of the Trần dynasty ensured the cessation of the production of coinage, and as such, no coins were produced during the entire reigns of the last seven monarchs of the Trần dynasty.[19]
Hồ dynasty[]
During the Hồ dynasty the usage of coins was banned by Hồ Quý Ly in 1396 in favour of the Thông Bảo Hội Sao (通寶會鈔) banknote series and ordered people to exchange their coinage for these banknotes (with an exchange rate of one Quân of copper coins for two Thông Bảo Hội Sao banknotes).[20] Those who refused to exchange or continued to pay with coins would be executed and have their possessions taken by the government. Despite these harsh laws, very few people actually preferred paper money and coins remained widespread in circulation, forcing the Hồ dynasty to retract their policies.[21][22][23] The Thông Bảo Hội Sao banknotes of the Hồ dynasty featured designs with auspicious clouds (one tiền), turtles (two tiền), Kỳ lân (three tiền), Phượng hoàng (five tiền), and dragons (one quán).[24][25]
Under the Hồ dynasty Thánh Nguyên Thông Bảo (聖元通寶), and Thiệu Nguyên Thông Bảo (紹元通寶)[clarification needed] but they would only be manufactured in small numbers, though the Later Lê dynasty would produce coins with the same inscriptions less than half a century later in larger quantities.[26][27]
Later Lê, Mạc, and Revival Lê dynasties[]
After Lê Thái Tổ came to power in 1428 by ousting out the Ming dynasty ending the Fourth Chinese domination of Vietnam, Lê Thái Tổ enacted new policies to improve the quality of the manufacturing of coinage leading to the production of coins with both excellent craftsmanship and metal compositions that rivaled that of the best contemporary Chinese coinage.[28][29]
The Mạc dynasty, which usurped power between the years 1528 to 1592, also minted its own coinage but they began to use zinc and iron, which were cheaper metals, and they further allowed private coinage to develop which decreased the quality of the coinage.[10] After the Lê dynasty returned to power they tried to combat these monetary practices, but the shortage of copper (as the mines where the copper came from were mostly in areas controlled by China) and the division of the country between the two rival lordships (or principalities) of the Trịnh and Nguyễn lords made these measures ineffective.[10]
Between 1633 and 1637 the Dutch East India Company sold 105,835 strings of 960 cash coins (or 101,600,640 văn) to the Nguyễn lords in Vĩnh Lạc Thông Bảo (永樂通寶), and Khoan Vĩnh Thông Bảo (寬永通寶) coins. This was because the Japanese had restricted trade, forcing the Southern Vietnamese traders to purchase their copper coins from the Dutch Republic rather than from Japanese merchants as before. This trade lead to a surplus of copper in the territory of the Nguyễn lords, allowing them to use the metal (which at the time was scarce in the north) for more practical applications such as nails and door hinges.[30][31][32] After this, Nagasaki trade coins, which were specifically minted for the Vietnamese market, also started being traded and circulating in the northern parts of Vietnam where the smaller coins would often be melted down for utensils and only circulated in Hanoi, while larger Nagasaki trade coins circulated all over Vietnam.[30]
From the Dương Hòa era (1635–1643) under Lê Thần Tông until 1675 no coins were cast due to the political turmoil. At the turn of the 18th century Lê Dụ Tông opened a number of copper mines and renewed the production of high quality coinage.[29] During the Vĩnh Thịnh (永盛, 1706–1719) period of Lê Dụ Tông the first large-format cash coins were issued; they had a diameter of 50.5 mm and a weight of 33.13 grams.[10]
From 1719 the production of cast copper coins ceased for two decades and taxes were more heavily lifted on the Chinese population as Mandarins could receive a promotion in rank for every 600 strings of cash (or 600,000 coins).[29]
Under Lê Hiển Tông a large variety of Cảnh Hưng (景興) coins were cast with varying descriptions on the obverse.[33][34] In fact it is thought that more variations of the Cảnh Hưng coin exist than of any other Oriental cash coin in history.[35] There were also new large Cảnh Hưng coins introduced with denominations of 50 and 100 văn[33] and from 1740, various provincial mint marks were added on the reverses of coins.[33] Currently there are around 80 known different kinds of Cảnh Hưng coins. This diversity exists because the Lê government was in dire need of coins to pay for its expenditures, while it needed to collect more taxes in coins, so it began to mint a lot of coins. Later to fulfill this need, the Lê legalised the previously detrimental workshops that were minting inferior coins in 1760 in order to meet the market's high demand for coinage; this backfired as the people found the huge variety in quality and quantity confusing.[36][33]
Tây Sơn dynasty[]
Under Nguyễn Nhạc the description of Thất Phân (七分) was first added to the reverses of some coins indicating their weight; this continued under the Nguyễn dynasty.[37] Under the reign of Nguyễn Huệ, Quang Trung Thông Bảo (光中通寶) cash coins were produced made in two different types of metal, one series of copper and one series of tin, as well as alloys between the two or copper coins of red copper.[37]
Nguyễn dynasty[]
Pre-colonial era[]
Under Gia Long three kinds of cash coins were produced in smaller denominations made of copper, lead, and zinc.[38] From 1837 under the reign of Minh Mạng 1, Mạch (陌) brass cash coins were issued; these cash coins feature Minh Mạng Thông Bảo (明命通寶) on their obverses but have eight characters on their reverses. One Mạch coins would be continued under subsequent rulers of the Nguyễn dynasty.[38]
Since the reign of Gia Long, zinc cash coins (銅鐱, Đồng kẽm) had replaced the usage of copper and brass cash coins and formed the basis of the Vietnamese currency system.[38] Under Gia Long the standard 1 văn denomination coins weighed seven phần and under Minh Mạng six phần (approximately 2.28 grams) which would remain the standard for future rulers.[38] Zinc cash coins produced in Hanoi under Tự Đức had the mint mark Hà Nội (河內) on them, with there being another mint in Sơn Tây (山西).[39]
However, in 1871 the production of zinc cash coins stopped as many mines were being blocked by Chinese pirates and the continued production of these coins would be too expensive.[38] Other reasons for the discontinuation of zinc cash coins despite them being indispensable to the general populace were because they were heavy compared to their nominal value and the metal was quite brittle.[38] To the French, zinc coinage also presented a huge inconvenience since the colonisation of Cochinchina in 1859 as the exchange between French francs and zinc văn meant that a large number of zinc coins were exchanged for the French franc.[38] Zinc cash coins often broke during transportation as the strings that kept them together would often snap. The coins would fall on the ground and a great number of them would break into pieces; these coins were also less resistant to oxidation, causing them to corrode faster than other coinages.[38]
"Another serious disadvantage consisted in the total absence of token coinages other than the inconvenient sapèque one of zinc: one needed an artillery van to go exchange 1,000 francs in ligatures for the one sapèques, since it had the weight of a barrel and half.... and at the market, the chicken weighed some times less than its price in currency."
- J. Silvestre, Monnaies et de Médailles de l'Annam et de la Cochinchine Française (1883).
Prior to 1849 brass coins had become an extreme rarity and only circulated in the provinces surrounding the capital cities of Vietnam, but under Tự Đức new regulations and (uniform) standards for copper cash coins were created to help promote their usage.[38] Between 1868 and 1872 brass coins were only around 50% copper, and 50% zinc.[38] Due to the natural scarcity of copper in Vietnam the country always lacked the resources to produce sufficient copper coinage for circulation.[38]
Under Tự Đức large coins with the denomination of 60 văn were introduced. These coins were ordered to circulate at a value of 1 tiền, but their intrinsic value was significantly lower so they were badly received; the production of these coins was quickly discontinued in favour of 20, 30, 40, and 50 văn coins known as Đồng Sao. In 1870 Tự Đức Bảo Sao cash coins of 2, 3, 8, and 9 Mạch were issued.[38] Large denomination coins were mostly used for tax collection as their relatively low intrinsic value lowered their spending power on the market.[40][41]
List of large denomination cash coins issued under Emperor Tự Đức:[42][43]
| Denomination | Hán tự (reverse inscription) |
Years of mintage | Weight | Toda image | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 văn | 準十文 (Chuẩn thập văn) |
1861 | 5.66 g. | None | 
|
| 10 văn | 準一十文 (Chuẩn nhất thập văn) |
1870 | 5.66 g. | None | 
|
| 20 văn | 準二十文 (Chuẩn nhị thập văn) |
1861–1870 | 11.33 g. | None | 
|
| 30 văn | 準三十文 (Chuẩn tam thập văn) |
1861–1870 | None | 
| |
| 40 văn | 準四十文 (Chuẩn tứ thập văn) |
1870 | 12.20 g. | None | 
|
| 50 văn | 準五十文 (Chuẩn ngũ thập văn) |
1861 | 23.40 g. |  |
|
| 50 văn | 準五十文 (Chuẩn ngũ thập văn) |
1870 | 12.75 g. | |
|
| 60 văn | 準六十文 (Chuẩn lục thập văn) |
1870 | 12.20 g. |  |
|
| 2 mạch (120 văn) |
準當二陌 (Chuẩn đang nhị mạch) |
1870 | 20.52 g. | None | 
|
| 3 mạch (180 văn) |
準當三陌 (Chuẩn đang tam mạch) |
1870 | None | ||
| 8 mạch (480 văn) |
準當八陌 (Chuẩn đang bát mạch) |
1870 | 35.4 g. | None | 
|
| 9 mạch (540 văn) |
準當九陌 (Chuẩn đang cửu mạch) |
1870 | 28.03 g. | None | |
| 1 quán | 準當一貫 (Chuẩn đang nhất quán) |
1870 | 32.96 g. | None | 
|
In 1882, at the time when Toda's Annam and its minor currency was published, only two government mints remained in operation: one in Hanoi, and one in Huế.[7] However, private mints were allowed to cast cash coins with the permission of the government, and a large number of cash coins were also imported from abroad as at that time the Portuguese colony of Macau had six mints with twelve furnaces producing 600,000 cash coins for Vietnam on a daily basis.[7]
Cash coins circulated in the 19th century along with silver and gold bars, as well as silver and gold coins known as tiền.[38] Denominations up to ten tiền were minted, with the seven tiền coins in gold and silver being similar in size and weight to the Spanish eight real and eight escudo pieces.[38] These coins continued to be minted into the 20th century, albeit increasingly supplanted by French colonial coinage.[38]
Under French rule[]
After the introduction of modern coinage by the French in 1878, cash coins remained in general circulation in French Cochinchina.[44] Despite the later introduction of the French Indochinese piastre, zinc and copper-alloy cash coins would continue to circulate among the Vietnamese populace throughout the country as the primary form of coinage, as the majority of the population lived in extreme poverty until 1945 (and 1948 in some areas). They were valued at the rates of about 500–600 cash coins for one piastre.[45] The need for coins was only a minor part in the lives of most Vietnamese people at the time, as bartering remained more common since all coins were bartered on the market according to their current intrinsic values.[45]
Initially the French attempted to supplement cash coins in circulation by punching round holes into French 1 centime coins and shipping a large amount of them to French Cochinchina, but these coins did not see much circulation and the Cochinchinese people largely rejected them.[46]
On 7 April and 22 April 1879, the governor of French Cochinchina had decreed that the new designs for coins with Cochinchine Française on them would be accepted with the denominations 2 sapèques (cash coins), 1 cent, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, and the piastre.[47] All coins except for the piastre were allowed to be issued, which allowed for Spanish dollars and Mexican reals to continue circulating.[47] The Paris Mint produced the new machine-struck 2 sapèques Cochinchine Française cash coins.[47] These French-produced bronze cash coins weighed 2 grams and were valued at 1⁄500 piastre. They saw considerably more circulation than the previous French attempt at creating cash coins, but were still largely disliked by the Cochinchinese people.[47] The local population still preferred their own Tự Đức Thông Bảo (嗣德通寶) cash coins despite only being valued at 1⁄1000 piastre.[47]
In the year 1884 the Patenôtre Treaty was signed following the French conquest of Đại Nam, which established the French protectorates of Annam and Tonkin. These protectorates were still nominally ruled by the Nguyễn Empire and the old currency system continued to be used and produced by the government of the Nguyễn dynasty. Following the establishment of French Indochina, a new version of the French 2 sapèques was produced from 1887 to 1902, which was also valued at 1⁄500 piastre and was likely forced on the Vietnamese when they were paid for their goods and services by the French, as the preference still was for indigenous cash coins.[47]
Under French administration the Nguyễn government issued the Kiến Phúc Thông Bảo (建福通寶), Hàm Nghi Thông Bảo (咸宜通寶), Đồng Khánh Thông Bảo (同慶通寶), Thành Thái Thông Bảo (成泰通寶), Duy Tân Thông Bảo (維新通寶) cash coins of different metal compositions and weights.[48] Each of these cash coins had their own value against the French Indochinese piastre.[48] Because the exchange values between the native cash coins and silver piasters were confusing, the local Vietnamese people were often cheated by the money changers during this period.[48]
On 1 August 1898 it was reported in the Bulletin Economique De L’Indo-Chine article; Le Monnaie De L’Annam that the Huế Mint was closed in 1887, and in 1894 the casting of cash coins had started at the Thanh Hóa Mint.[48] Between the years 1889 and 1890 the Huế Mint produced 1321 strings of 600 small brass Thành Thái Thông Bảo cash coins.[49] These small brass cash coins were valued at six zinc cash coins.[49] In the year 1893, large brass Thành Thái Thông Bảo cash coins with a denomination of ten văn (十文, thập văn), or ten zinc cash coins, started being produced by the Huế Mint.[49] The production of Thành Thái Thông Bảo cash coins were resumed at the Thanh Hóa Mint between the years 1894 and 1899.[49] Under Emperor Thành Thái gold and silver coinages were also produced.[49]
In the year 1902 the French ceased production of machine-struck cash coins at the Paris Mint and completely deferred the production of cash coins back to the government of the Nguyễn dynasty.[48] There were people in Hanoi and Saigon that still preferred the French machine-struck cash coins, so a committee was set up in Hanoi that created a machine-struck zinc cash coin valued at 1⁄600 piastre dated 1905 but issued in 1906.[48] However, this series of cash coins was not well-received by either the local or the French population as the coins were brittle, prone to corrosion, and easily broken, so their production was quickly halted.[48]
In order to try to standardise the exchange rate between the French Indochinese piastre and cash coins, the Resident-Superior of the French protectorate of Tonkin fixed the local Tonkinese exchange rates every month. This was done to prevent rampant speculation by Chinese merchants and Nguyễn dynasty mandarins.[50] Money changers generally tended to value the piastre based on its weight in silver, but also according to the perfection of its strike, and even according to the purity of its silver.[50] The official exchange rates were not rigorously applied and the money changers often estimated their own values to individual piastre coins.[50]
The last monarch whose name was cast on cash coins, Emperor Bảo Đại, died in 1997.
Democratic Republic of Vietnam[]
After the Democratic Republic of Vietnam declared their independence in 1945 they began issuing their own money, but cash coins continued to circulate in the remote areas of Bắc Bộ and Trung Bộ where there was a lack of xu, hào, and đồng coins for the population. The Democratic Republic of Viet Nam Decree 51/SL of 6 January 1947 officially set the exchange rate at twenty Vietnamese cash coins for one North Vietnamese đồng making them equal to five xu each. Vietnamese cash coins continued to officially circulate in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam until 13 April 1948.[46]
Aftermath[]
During the Vietnam War a large number of Vietnamese numismatic charms with both authentic as well as fantasy coin inscriptions were produced in South Vietnam to be sold to foreigners interested in collecting Vietnamese antiques.[51] These fantasy inscriptions included legends like Quang Trung Trọng Bảo (光中重寶),[52] Hàm Nghi Trọng Bảo (咸宜重寶),[53] and Khải Định Trọng Bảo (啓定重寶),[54] the latter of which was based on the Khải Định Thông Bảo (啓定通寶).
List of Vietnamese cash coins[]
Official and semi-official cash coins[]
During the almost 1000 years that Vietnamese copper cash coins were produced, they often significantly changed quality, alloy, size, and workmanship. In general, the coins bear the era name(s) of the monarch (Niên hiệu/年號) but may also be inscribed with mint marks, denominations, miscellaneous characters, and decorations.
Unlike Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Ryūkyūan cash coins that always have the inscription in only one typeface, Vietnamese cash coins tend to be more idiosyncratic, bearing sometimes Regular script, Seal script, and even Running script on the same coins for different characters, and it is not uncommon for one coin to be cast almost entirely in one typeface but with an odd character in another. Though early Vietnamese coins often bore the calligraphic style of the Chinese Khai Nguyên Thông Bảo (開元通寶) coin, especially those from the Đinh until the Trần dynasties.[55]
The following coins were produced to circulate in Vietnam:
Orange text indicates that the cash coin has been mentioned by historical sources but that no modern authentic specimen has ever been recovered.
Green text indicates that this cash coin has been recovered in modern times but is not mentioned in any historical chronicles.
Blue text indicates that the cash coin has its own article on Wikipedia.[c]
(中) indicates that there exists a Chinese, Khitan, Tangut, Jurchen, Mongol, and/or Manchu cash coin (including rebel coinages) with the same legend as the Vietnamese cash coin.
Further reading: List of Chinese cash coins by inscription.Fuchsia text = Indicates that this is a misattributed cash coin (these cash coins were noted by historical sources or standard catalogues but later turned out to be misattributed).
Gold text Indicates that this is a fake or fantasy referenced by Eduardo Toda y Güell in his Annam and its Minor Currency (pdf), the possible existence of these cash coins have not been verified by any later works.
| Inscription (chữ Quốc ngữ) |
Inscription (Hán tự) |
Years of mintage | Dynasty | Monarch(s) | Toda image | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thái Bình Hưng Bảo[d] | 太平興寶 | 970–979 | Đinh (丁) | Đinh Tiên Hoàng (丁先皇) Đinh Phế Đế (丁廢帝) |
 |
|
| Thiên Phúc Trấn Bảo | 天福鎮寶 | 986 | Early Lê (前黎) | Lê Hoàn (黎桓) |  |
|
| Lê | 黎 | 986 | Early Lê (前黎) | Lê Hoàn (黎桓) |  |
None |
| Thuận Thiên Đại Bảo | 順天大寶 | 1010–1028 | Lý (李) | Lý Thái Tổ (李太祖) |  |
|
| Càn Phù Nguyên Bảo | 乾符元寶 | 1039–1041 | Lý (李) | Lý Thái Tông (李太宗) |  |
|
| Minh Đạo Nguyên Bảo (中) | 明道元寶 | 1042–1043 | Lý (李) | Lý Thái Tông (李太宗) | None | 
|
| Thiên Phù Thông Bảo[e] | 天符通寶 | 1120–1127 | Lý (李) | Lý Nhân Tông (李仁宗) | None | 
|
| Thiên Phù Nguyên Bảo[f] | 天符元寶 | 1120–1127 | Lý (李) | Lý Nhân Tông (李仁宗) |  |
None |
| Đại Định Thông Bảo (中) | 大定通寶 | 1140–1162 | Lý (李) | Lý Anh Tông (李英宗) |  |
|
| Thiên Cảm Thông Bảo | 天感通寶 | 1044–1048 | Lý (李) | Lý Anh Tông (李英宗) |  |
None |
| Thiên Cảm Nguyên Bảo | 天感元寶 | 1174–1175 | Lý (李) | Lý Anh Tông (李英宗) | None | 
|
| Chính Long Nguyên Bảo | 正隆元寶 | 1174–1175 | Lý (李) | Lý Anh Tông (李英宗) | None | 
|
| Thiên Tư Thông Bảo | 天資通寶 | 1202–1204 | Lý (李) | Lý Cao Tông (李高宗) |  |
None |
| Thiên Tư Nguyên Bảo | 天資元寶 | 1202–1204 | Lý (李) | Lý Cao Tông (李高宗) | None | 
|
| Trị Bình Thông Bảo (中)[g] | 治平通寶 | 1205–1210 | Lý (李) | Lý Cao Tông (李高宗) |  |
None |
| Trị Bình Nguyên Bảo | 治平元寶 | 1205–1210 | Lý (李) | Lý Cao Tông (李高宗) |  |
|
| Hàm Bình Nguyên Bảo[56] (中)[h] | 咸平元寶 | 1205–1210 | Lý (李) | Lý Cao Tông (李高宗) | None | 
|
| Kiến Trung Thông Bảo (中) | 建中通寶 | 1225–1237 | Trần (陳) | Trần Thái Tông (陳太宗) | None | 
|
| Trần Nguyên Thông Bảo | 陳元通寶 | 1225–1237 | Trần (陳) | Trần Thái Tông (陳太宗) | None | |
| Chính Bình Thông Bảo | 政平通寶 | 1238–1350 | Trần (陳) | Trần Thái Tông (陳太宗) | None | |
| Nguyên Phong Thông Bảo (中) | 元豐通寶 | 1251–1258 | Trần (陳) | Trần Thái Tông (陳太宗) |  |
|
| Thiệu Long Thông Bảo | 紹隆通寶 | 1258–1272 | Trần (陳) | Trần Thánh Tông (陳聖宗) | None | |
| Hoàng Trần Thông Bảo | 皇陳通寶 | 1258–1278 | Trần (陳) | Trần Thánh Tông (陳聖宗) | None | |
| Hoàng Trần Nguyên Bảo | 皇陳元寶 | 1258–1278 | Trần (陳) | Trần Thánh Tông (陳聖宗) | None | |
| Khai Thái Nguyên Bảo | 開太元寶 | 1324–1329 | Trần (陳) | Trần Minh Tông (陳明宗) | None | |
| Thiệu Phong Thông Bảo | 紹豐通寶 | 1341–1357 | Trần (陳) | Trần Dụ Tông (陳裕宗) | None | 
|
| Thiệu Phong Bình Bảo | 紹豐平寶 | 1341–1357 | Trần (陳) | Trần Dụ Tông (陳裕宗) |  |
|
| Thiệu Phong Nguyên Bảo | 紹豐元寶 | 1341–1357 | Trần (陳) | Trần Dụ Tông (陳裕宗) |  |
|
| Đại Trị Thông Bảo | 大治通寶 | 1358–1369 | Trần (陳) | Trần Dụ Tông (陳裕宗) |  |
|
| Đại Trị Nguyên Bảo | 大治元寶 | 1358–1369 | Trần (陳) | Trần Dụ Tông (陳裕宗) |  |
|
| Đại Trị Nguyên Bảo | 大治元寶 | 1358–1369 | Trần (陳) | Trần Dụ Tông (陳裕宗) | None | 
|
| Cảm Thiệu Nguyên Bảo | 感紹元寶 | 1368–1370 | Trần (陳) | Hôn Đức Công (昏德公) |  |
|
| Cảm Thiệu Nguyên Bảo | 感紹元宝 | 1368–1370 | Trần (陳) | Hôn Đức Công (昏德公) |  |
|
| Đại Định Thông Bảo (中) | 大定通寶 | 1368–1370 | Trần (陳) | Hôn Đức Công (昏德公) | None | |
| Thiệu Khánh Thông Bảo | 紹慶通寶 | 1370–1372 | Trần (陳) | Trần Nghệ Tông (陳藝宗) | None | 
|
| Xương Phù Thông Bảo | 昌符通寶 | 1377–1388 | Trần (陳) | Trần Phế Đế (陳廢帝) | None | |
| Hi Nguyên Thông Bảo[i] | 熙元通寶 | 1381–1382 | None | Nguyễn Hi Nguyên (阮熙元) |  |
|
| Thiên Thánh Nguyên Bảo | 天聖元寶 | 1391–1392 | None | Sử Thiên Thánh (使天聖) |  |
|
| Thánh Nguyên Thông Bảo | 聖元通寶 | 1400 | Hồ (胡) | Hồ Quý Ly (胡季犛) |  |
|
| Thiệu Nguyên Thông Bảo[j] | 紹元通寶 | 1401–1402 | Hồ (胡) | Hồ Hán Thương (胡漢蒼) |  |
|
| Hán Nguyên Thông Bảo (中)[k] | 漢元通寶 | 1401–1407 | Hồ (胡) | Hồ Hán Thương (胡漢蒼) |  |
|
| Hán Nguyên Thánh Bảo | 漢元聖寶 | 1401–1407 | Hồ (胡) | Hồ Hán Thương (胡漢蒼) |  |
|
| Thiên Bình Thông Bảo[l] | 天平通寶 | 1405–1406 | None | Thiên Bình (天平) |  |
|
| Vĩnh Ninh Thông Bảo | 永寧通寶 | 1420 | None | Lộc Bình Vương (羅平王) |  |
|
| Giao Chỉ Thông Bảo[m] | 交趾通寶 | 1419 | Minh (明) | Vĩnh Lạc Emperor (永樂帝) |  |
None |
| Vĩnh Thiên Thông Bảo | 永天通寶 | 1420 | None | Lê Ngạ (黎餓) | None | 
|
| Thiên Khánh Thông Bảo (中) | 天慶通寶 | 1426–1428 | Later Trần (後陳) | Thiên Khánh Đế (天慶帝) | None | 
|
| An Pháp Nguyên Bảo | 安法元寶 | Rebellion[n] | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Lợi (黎利) |  |
|
| Chánh Pháp Nguyên Bảo[o] | 正法元寶 | Rebellion | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Lợi (黎利) |  |
|
| Trị Thánh Nguyên Bảo[p] | 治聖元寶 | Rebellion | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Lợi (黎利) |  |
|
| Trị Thánh Bình Bảo[q] | 治聖平寶 | Rebellion | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Lợi (黎利) |  |
|
| Thái Pháp Bình Bảo | 太法平寶 | Rebellion | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Lợi (黎利) |  |
None |
| Thánh Quan Thông Bảo[r] | 聖宮通寶 | Rebellion | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Lợi (黎利) |  |
|
| Thuận Thiên Thông Bảo | 順天通寶 | 1428–1433 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Thái Tổ (黎太祖) | None | |
| Thuận Thiên Nguyên Bảo (中) | 順天元寶 | 1428–1433 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Thái Tổ (黎太祖) |  |
|
| Thiệu Bình Thông Bảo | 紹平通寶 | 1434–1440 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Thái Tông (黎太宗) |  |
|
| Đại Bảo Thông Bảo | 大寶通寶 | 1440–1442 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Thái Tông (黎太宗) |  |
|
| Thái Hòa Thông Bảo[s] | 太和通寶 | 1443–1453 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Nhân Tông (黎仁宗) |  |
|
| Diên Ninh Thông Bảo | 延寧通寶 | 1454–1459 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Nhân Tông (黎仁宗) |  |
|
| Thiên Hưng Thông Bảo | 天興通寶 | 1459–1460 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Nghi Dân (黎宜民) |  |
|
| Quang Thuận Thông Bảo | 光順通寶 | 1460–1469 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Thánh Tông (黎聖宗) |  |
|
| Hồng Đức Thông Bảo | 洪德通寶 | 1470–1497 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Thánh Tông (黎聖宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Thống Thông Bảo | 景統通寶 | 1497–1504 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Hiến Tông (黎憲宗) |  |
|
| Đoan Khánh Thông Bảo | 端慶通寶 | 1505–1509 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Uy Mục (黎威穆) |  |
|
| Giao Trị Thông Bảo | 交治通寶 | 1509 | None | Cẩm Giang Vương (錦江王) |  |
|
| Thái Bình Thông Bảo | 太平通寶 | 1509 | None | Cẩm Giang Vương (錦江王) |  |
|
| Thái Bình Thánh Bảo | 太平聖寶 | 1509 | None | Cẩm Giang Vương (錦江王) |  |
|
| Hồng Thuận Thông Bảo | 洪順通寶 | 1510–1516 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Tương Dực (黎襄翼) |  |
|
| Trần Công Tân Bảo | 陳公新寶 | 1511–1512 | None | Trần Tuân (陳珣) or Trần Công Ninh (陳公寧) |  |
|
| Quang Thiệu Thông Bảo | 光紹通寶 | 1516–1522 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Chiêu Tông (黎昭宗) |  |
|
| Thiên Ứng Thông Bảo | 天應通寶 | 1516–1521 | None | Trần Cao (陳暠) |  |
|
| Phật Pháp Tăng Bảo | 佛法僧寶 | 1516–1521 | None | Trần Cao (陳暠) | None | |
| Tuyên Hựu Hòa Bảo | 宣祐和寶 | 1516–1521 | None | Trần Cao (陳暠) | None | |
| Thống Nguyên Thông Bảo | 統元通寶 | 1522–1527 | Later Lê (後黎) | Lê Cung Hoàng (黎恭皇) |  |
|
| Minh Đức Thông Bảo | 明德通寶 | 1527–1530 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Thái Tổ (莫太祖) |  |
|
| Minh Đức Nguyên Bảo | 明德元寶 | 1527–1530 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Thái Tổ (莫太祖) |  |
|
| Đại Chính Thông Bảo | 大正通寶 | 1530–1540 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Thái Tông (莫太宗) |  |
|
| Quang Thiệu Thông Bảo | 光紹通寶 | 1531–1532 | None | Quang Thiệu Emperor (光紹帝) |  |
|
| Nguyên Hòa Thông Bảo | 元和通寶 | 1533–1548 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Trang Tông (黎莊宗) |  |
|
| Quảng Hòa Thông Bảo | 廣和通寶 | 1541–1546 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Hiến Tông (莫憲宗) |  |
|
| Vĩnh Định Thông Bảo | 永定通寶 | 1547 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Tuyên Tông (莫宣宗) |  |
|
| Vĩnh Định Chí Bảo | 永定之寶 | 1547 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Tuyên Tông (莫宣宗) |  |
|
| Quang Bảo Thông Bảo | 光寶通寶 | 1554–1561 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Tuyên Tông (莫宣宗) | None | 
|
| Thái Bình Thông Bảo (中) | 太平通寶 | 1558–1613 | Nguyễn lords (阮主) | Nguyễn Hoàng (阮潢) | None | 
|
| Thái Bình Phong Bảo | 太平豐寶 | 1558–1613 | Nguyễn lords (阮主) | Nguyễn Hoàng (阮潢) | None | |
| Bình An Thông Bảo | 平安通寶 | 1572–1623 | Trịnh lords (鄭主) | Trịnh Tùng (鄭松) | None | |
| Gia Thái Thông Bảo (中)[57] | 嘉泰通寶 | 1573–1599 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Thế Tông (黎世宗) | None | 
|
| Càn Thống Nguyên Bảo | 乾統元寶 | 1593–1625 | Mạc (莫)[t] | Mạc Kính Cung (莫敬恭) | None | |
| An Pháp Nguyên Bảo | 安法元寶 | 1593–1625 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Kính Cung (莫敬恭) | None | 
|
| Thái Bình Thông Bảo (中) | 太平通寶 | 1593–1625 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Kính Cung (莫敬恭) | None | 
|
| Thái Bình Thánh Bảo | 太平聖寶 | 1593–1625 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Kính Cung (莫敬恭) | None | 
|
| Thái Bình Pháp Bảo | 太平法寶 | 1593–1625 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Kính Cung (莫敬恭)[58][59] | None | |
| Khai Kiến Thông Bảo | 開建通寶 | 1593–1625 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Kính Cung (莫敬恭) |  |
|
| Sùng Minh Thông Bảo | 崇明通寶 | 1593–1625 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Kính Cung (莫敬恭) |  |
|
| Chính Nguyên Thông Bảo | 正元通寶 | 1593–1625 | Mạc (莫) | Mạc Kính Cung (莫敬恭) | None | 
|
| Vĩnh Thọ Thông Bảo | 永壽通寶 | 1658–1661 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Thần Tông (黎神宗) |  |
|
| Tường Phù Nguyên Bảo[u] (中) | 祥符元寶 | 1659–1685 | Đức Xuyên (徳川) | Đức Xuyên Gia Cương (徳川 家綱) | None | 
|
| Trị Bình Thông Bảo (中) | 治平通寶 | 1659–1685 | Đức Xuyên (徳川) | Đức Xuyên Gia Cương (徳川 家綱) | None | None |
| Trị Bình Nguyên Bảo (中)[62] | 治平元寶 | 1659–1685 | Đức Xuyên (徳川) | Đức Xuyên Gia Cương (徳川 家綱) | None | |
| Nguyên Phong Thông Bảo (中) | 元豊通寳 | 1659–1685 | Đức Xuyên (徳川) | Đức Xuyên Gia Cương (徳川 家綱) | None | 
|
| Hi Ninh Nguyên Bảo (中) | 熈寧元寳 | 1659–1685 | Đức Xuyên (徳川) | Đức Xuyên Gia Cương (徳川 家綱) | None | 
|
| Thiệu Thánh Nguyên Bảo (中) | 紹聖元寳 | 1659–1685 | Đức Xuyên (徳川) | Đức Xuyên Gia Cương (徳川 家綱) | None | 
|
| Gia Hựu Thông Bảo (中) | 嘉祐通寳 | 1659–1685 | Đức Xuyên (徳川) | Đức Xuyên Gia Cương (徳川 家綱) | None | 
|
| Vĩnh Trị Thông Bảo | 永治通寶 | 1678–1680 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hi Tông (黎熙宗) |  |
|
| Vĩnh Trị Nguyên Bảo | 永治元寶 | 1678–1680 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hi Tông (黎熙宗) | None | |
| Vĩnh Trị Chí Bảo | 永治至寶 | 1678–1680 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hi Tông (黎熙宗) | None | |
| Chính Hòa Thông Bảo | 正和通寶 | 1680–1705 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hi Tông (黎熙宗) |  |
|
| Chính Hòa Nguyên Bảo | 正和元寶 | 1680–1705 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hi Tông (黎熙宗) | None | |
| Vĩnh Thịnh Thông Bảo | 永聖通寶 | 1706–1719 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Dụ Tông (黎裕宗) |  |
|
| Bảo Thái Thông Bảo | 保泰通寶 | 1720–1729 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Dụ Tông (黎裕宗) |  |
|
| Thiên Minh Thông Bảo | 天明通寶 | 1738–1765 | Nguyễn lords (阮主) | Nguyễn Phúc Khoát (阮福濶) |  |
|
| Ninh Dân Thông Bảo[63][64][65][66] | 寧民通宝[v] | 1739–1741 | None | Nguyễn Tuyển (阮選), Nguyễn Cừ (阮蘧), and Nguyễn Diên (阮筵)[w] |
 |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Thông Bảo | 景興通寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Thông Bảo[67] | 景興通宝 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Trung Bảo | 景興中寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Trung Bảo[68] | 景興中宝 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Chí Bảo[69] | 景興至寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Vĩnh Bảo | 景興永寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Đại Bảo | 景興大寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Thái Bảo | 景興太寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Cự Bảo[70] | 景興巨寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Cự Bảo | 景興巨宝 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Trọng Bảo | 景興重寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Tuyền Bảo | 景興泉寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Thuận Bảo | 景興順寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Nội Bảo | 景興內寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Nội Bảo | 景興內宝 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Dụng Bảo | 景興用寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Dụng Bảo[71] | 景興踊寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) | None | |
| Cảnh Hưng Lai Bảo | 景興來寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) | None | |
| Cảnh Hưng Thận Bảo | 景興慎寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) | None | |
| Cảnh Hưng Thọ Trường | 景興壽長 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) | None | |
| Cảnh Hưng Chính Bảo[72] | 景興正寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Anh Bảo | 景興英寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) | None | |
| Cảnh Hưng Tống Bảo | 景興宋寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Thông Dụng | 景興通用 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) |  |
|
| Cảnh Hưng Lợi Bảo[73] | 景興利寶 | 1740–1786 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Hiển Tông (黎顯宗) | None | |
| Thái Đức Thông Bảo[74] | 泰德通寶 | 1778–1788 | Tây Sơn (西山) | Thái Đức (泰德) |  |
|
| Nam Vương Thông Bảo | 南王通寶 | 1782–1786 | Trịnh lords (鄭主) | Trịnh Khải (鄭楷) | None | |
| Nam Vương Cự Bảo | 南王巨寶 | 1782–1786 | Trịnh lords (鄭主) | Trịnh Khải (鄭楷) | None | 
|
| Minh Đức Thông Bảo[75] | 明德通寶 | 1787 | Tây Sơn (西山) | Thái Đức (泰德) | None | |
| Chiêu Thống Thông Bảo | 昭統通寶 | 1787–1789 | Revival Lê (黎中興) | Lê Mẫn Đế (黎愍帝) |  |
|
| Quang Trung Thông Bảo[76] | 光中通寶 | 1788–1792 | Tây Sơn (西山) | Quang Trung (光中) |  |
|
| Quang Trung Thông Bảo[76] | 光中通宝 | 1788–1792 | Tây Sơn (西山) | Quang Trung (光中) |  |
|
| Quang Trung Đại Bảo[77] | 光中大宝 | 1788–1792 | Tây Sơn (西山) | Quang Trung (光中) |  |
|
| Càn Long Thông Bảo An Nam[x] (中)[78][79] |
乾隆通寶 安南 |
1788–1789 | Thanh (清) | Càn Long Emperor (乾隆帝) |  |
|
| Gia Hưng Thông Bảo | 嘉興通寶 | 1790–1802 | Nguyễn lords (阮主) | Nguyễn Phúc Ánh (阮福暎) | None | |
| Cảnh Thịnh Thông Bảo[80] | 景盛通寶 | 1793–1801 | Tây Sơn (西山) | Cảnh Thịnh (景盛) |  |
|
| Cảnh Thịnh Đại Bảo[81] | 景盛大寶 | 1793–1801 | Tây Sơn (西山) | Cảnh Thịnh (景盛) | None | 
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| Bảo Hưng Thông Bảo[81] | 寶興通寶 | 1801–1802 | Tây Sơn (西山) | Cảnh Thịnh (景盛) |  |
|
| Gia Long Thông Bảo[82] | 嘉隆通寶 | 1802–1820 | Nguyễn (阮) | Gia Long (嘉隆) |  |
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| Gia Long Cự Bảo[83] | 嘉隆巨寶 | 1802–1820 | Nguyễn (阮) | Gia Long (嘉隆) | None | |
| Minh Mạng Thông Bảo[83] | 明命通寶 | 1820–1841 | Nguyễn (阮) | Minh Mạng (明命) |  |
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| Trị Nguyên Thông Bảo[84] | 治元通寶 | 1831–1834 | None | Lê Văn Khôi (黎文
|