1. The first forged coins with a diameter of 3.5 cm have the characters "Heavenly Kingdom" arranged vertically above and below the square hole, while the characters "Tongbao" are placed horizontally before and after the hole. There are two types: regular script and imitation Song typeface. Due to their extreme rarity, they were unknown in earlier years but have gradually come to light in recent years. One type has the inscription "Heavenly Kingdom" written vertically on the obverse and "Shengbao" written vertically on the reverse. This coin is likely a reformed version, as subsequent Heavenly Kingdom coins all bear the title "Shengbao." It was discovered near Nanjing and may have been cast early on. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom also has one extremely rare large镂花coin, possibly used for opening the furnace or as a treasury coin, which is very precious.
2. There exists an extremely rare small round coin with a diameter of 2.2 cm and neat edges. The obverse bears the characters "Heavenly Kingdom" written vertically, and the reverse bears "Shengbao" written vertically. The shape is flat and smooth, with the character "Heaven" having an especially long stroke and a more elegant roof radical. Many have been found near Nanjing, making it a slightly later type of coin.
3. Regular Script Shengbao Coins. The coin inscriptions are in regular script, reading "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom," read vertically, with the reverse bearing the characters "Shengbao" read vertically, hence commonly known as "True Shengbao." Made of brass with broad rims, the calligraphy, casting craftsmanship, and copper quality are all excellent. The coin diameters range from 2.5 cm, 2.8 cm, 3.5 cm, up to 5 cm. Larger ones are finely filed and polished, making them very attractive. Another type of large coin has similar text and copper quality, possibly produced in the same time and place, though whether it was used as currency is difficult to determine. This set of "Royal Quality Coins" has been frequently discovered in Anhui and Jiangsu provinces.
4. Imitation Song Typeface Shengbao Coins. The arrangement of the coin inscriptions is the same as the previous type, except that the inscriptions are changed to imitation Song typeface, with beautiful calligraphy. The copper color is white, containing a high amount of tin, giving it superior weight, but the filing and polishing are poorer. From appearances, it resembles sand copper. This system seems to have four denominations, with narrow rims and large characters, possessing its own unique style. It has been highly discovered in Hunan province, possibly cast by Taiping army generals.
5. Coins with Raised Inscriptions and Shengbao Reverse. The coin inscriptions are the same as the previous type, with the reverse characters "Shengbao" arranged horizontally. The calligraphy is raised, with broad rims and made of brass, also divided into four denominations, slightly lighter than the previous set. It has been frequently discovered in northern Hunan.
6. Thick-bodied Regular Script Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Coins, with the reverse characters "Shengbao" arranged vertically. The calligraphy is average, with poor copper color but good casting quality. There are various sizes, but all are small flat coins, differing only due to reduced weight.
7. Regular Script Horizontally Arranged Shengbao Coins. The obverse inscriptions are arranged as follows: right "Tai," left "Ping," top "Tian," bottom "Guo." This is quite unique among ancient Chinese coins. The reverse inscriptions "Shengbao" are arranged horizontally, with common calligraphy. There are two sizes, with some differences between them. They have been mostly discovered in Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces. There is another type with the obverse inscriptions "Tian" at the top, "Guo" at the bottom, and "Sheng" to the right, while the reverse horizontally reads "Taiping."
8. Large Ping Shengbao Coins. The obverse inscriptions "Taiping Shengbao" are read regularly in regular script, while the reverse inscriptions "Heavenly Kingdom" are written horizontally. There are two sizes, with a yellowish-white hue. They are relatively more numerous and have been highly discovered around Nanjing. The coins of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom are a valuable cultural heritage in the history of modern China. However, due to the large number of counterfeit Taiping Heavenly Kingdom coins today, the mix of genuine and fake coins poses significant difficulties for numismatic research.
Source: Taobaozhai Antiques City http://www.taobaozhi.com