Taiping Tian Guo (“Taiping Heavenly Kingdom”) / Sheng Bao (“Sacred currency”) written vertically. 25mm, 3.9 grams. Hartill 23.10.

Huaxia-certified and slabbed.

The Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864) was one of the most devastating civil wars in history, erupting in Qing dynasty China under the leadership of Hong Xiuquan, a failed scholar who claimed to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ. Fueled by religious zeal, social discontent, and anti-Manchu sentiment, the rebellion aimed to overthrow the Qing and establish the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, a theocratic and egalitarian state based in Nanjing. At its height, the movement controlled vast swaths of southern and central China and attracted millions of followers, especially among the rural poor.

The Taiping regime introduced radical reforms, including the abolition of private property, gender equality, land redistribution, and strict moral codes. However, internal divisions, rigid leadership, and effective Qing counteroffensives—often aided by Western-trained Chinese forces—led to its eventual collapse in 1864. The conflict is estimated to have caused 20–30 million deaths, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in world history. Though it failed, the Taiping Rebellion exposed deep structural weaknesses in the Qing state and foreshadowed future revolutionary movements in China.