China, 1906-1908 AD., Ch'ing Dynasty, emperor Te Tsung, Guangzhou (Canton) mint, 1 Cash, KM 191.

China, Ch'ing dynasty (1644 - 1911 AD.), emperor: Te Tsung (1875-1908 AD:), reign title: Kuang-Hsu, 1875-1908, Kwangtung (Guangdong) mint, struck at Canton, ca. 1906-1908 AD.,
1 Cash (17 mm / 1,18 g), machine struck,
Obv.: 光 / 绪 / 通 - 寶 , Kuang (top) - Hsu (below) - T'ung (right) - Pao (left) of round center hole , (Kuang Hsu Current Coin, "coinage of the succssion of glory").
Rev.: Right: Manchu "Guwang" - Kwangtung Province, Left: Manchu "Boo" - coin, two Manchu Characters meaning "BOO Kuang" (Kwangtung mint) at the sides , round center hole.
Schjoth 1587 ; Y 204 ; Krause-Mishler, Kwangtung Province KM 191 ;
for some more info about these issues see http://ykleungn.tripod.com/kongming.htm .
Rarity: very common

During the Kuang-hsu period the first machine made cash coins of China were struck. This coin was struck from 1890-1895 with a nominal weight of 8 fen - over 2.8 grams and from 1895-1899 with a nominal weight of 7 fen - under 2.8 grams.
The construction of the Kwangtung Mint outside the City of Canton at Huang Hua T'ang commenced in 1887 and was completed in 1889.
The Kwangtung Mint began trial minting by machinere of cash coins on the 26th day of the fourth moon in 1889. It was officially inaugurated on the 3rd day of the eighth moon of the same year and commened minting of the Kuang Hsu Tung Pao cash coins.
Evolution and Peculiarity of the Kwangtung Mint (or Canton Mint)
( from the book Coin of Kwangtung Mints by Mr. Lam Wing Cheung, page 22. )

By the time of Kuang Hsu, Kwangtung had become accustomed to using foreign silver coins as a medium of daily exchange. Due to their constant weight and metal content, the foreign silver coins were extremely popular in the local market and were valued at a rate highter than the actual value of their silver content. They were to be found in full circulartion in regions around Kwangtung and gradually spread into China proper, causing great disturbance to the economy of the Ch'ing Emprie. As a remedial measure, Chang Chih-tung, the Viceroy of the Two Kwangs (Kwangtung and Kwangsi Provinces) first suggested in 1887 that the Ch'ing Government should mint its own silver and copper coins in imitation of the foreign coinage. These were for use alongside the foreign silver coins in overseas trade and payment of taxes and customs. Upon approval of the Emperor, the Ch'ing Ambassador in Britain was instructed by telegram the same year to place an order with Heatons Mint in London for the supply of modern coin-minting machinery. The construction of the Kwangtung Mint outside the City of Canton at Huang Hua T'ang commenced in 1887 and was completed in 1889.

Kwangtung (Guangdong) Mint was one of the most prolific issuers of Chinese coins. Below is an abstract on the Kwangtung Mint:
A NUMISMATIC HISTORY OF THE BIRMINGHAM MINT, 1981
Chapter X Minting Equipment
by James O. Sweeny,

" In April 1887 Heatons received an order for a complete mint to be erected at Canton. The size of the mint was enormous. It had a capacity of 2.6 million cash coins per day, simultaneous with 100,000 silver coins per day. It required 90 coining presses to achieve this output, plus thousands of tons of peripheral equipment. It was unquestionably the largest mint - government or private - in the world, both then and for a long time to come. Heatons' contract was for the entire project, including buildings, equipment, start-up, and training. The buildings were designed by Mr. Edwin C. Middleton of Birmingham, and had an overall size of 657 feet by 424 feet. Completion of the plant was required in 18 months, and, in spite of some delays in the construction of the buildings, actual minting operations began in early 1889. some 60 million cash coins were produced in that year.
Follow-on orders continued for many years afterwards. Another 12 coining presses were ordered in 1904, along with a new rolling mill. There were even orders for such diverse items as lawn mowers and a two-wheel hand-drawn fire engine. The original order was probably the largest single order ever placed on a manufacturer of minting equipment; it was certainly Heatons' largest undertaking."

Chinese coins are essential ingredients in the practice of Feng Shui. It is the most potent symbol of wealth, especially when tied with red thread. They are rounded shape with a square hole in the center. The circle represents heaven while the square represents earth. When used by humans, they represent the cosmic trinity of luck of "Heaven-Earth-Man". There is the Yang side (with four chinese characters according to reign of emperor) and the Yin side (2 characters) on every chinese coins. The Yang side should always be used facing up. Feng Shui masters often focus only on Ching Dynasty coins compared to other dynasties because Ching was the most powerful dynasty in China, while other dynasties usually collapsed in less than a century. The Chinese coins, particularly of those of the Kang Hsi or Chien Long Emperors' reign are deemed most auspicious. Chinese coins are creation of old advisors of emperors (who are Grand Feng Shui wizards) and that is why chinese coins are powerful emblems of wealth, endless fortune and prosperity.