湖北省造币厂是继广东造币厂之后，较早自铸银币的省份之一。昔时两广总督张之洞在建设广东造币厂之后奉旨转督两湖，于光绪十九年（公元1893年）奏准在湖北武昌设立造币厂。1896年湖北省造“本省”光绪元宝库平七钱二分，由湖北银元局仿广东银元铸造流通于市，初铸时龙图左右嵌“本省”二字，以示与外省有所区别，后因窒碍难行，收回再铸时，将“本省”两字去之，未销毁重铸而留存至今者屈指可数，并且多为磨损或打戳，完全未使用品罕见。

湖北“本省”银元的製成日期与发行理由，在一般文献上都找不到具体记载，因此目前各书谱的说法均缺乏确凿依据。据1896年10月2日英文报纸《华洋通闻》(The Celestial Empire)报导：“虽然总督坚持每银元兑换制钱一千文，但此时市价银元只合制钱八百五十文，故无人收受，而充当军饷发放的银元也很快回笼…”云云。由此亦可佐证当时制钱缺乏，商民不愿以一千文高价向银元局购用本省银元纳税，当局告谕形同具文。本省银元在窒碍难行的状态下很快便退出流通并被销毁重铸，留存至今者寥寥无几。银元加铸本省字样的应有五种，目前仅见壹元、二角及一角三种。

近日征集到，湖北省造光绪元宝（本省)库平七钱二分，钱币正面珠圈外缘顶部铸楷体“湖北省造”代表本枚钱币的铸造地点；左右两边各铸有两朵六瓣花；珠圈内则铸有“光绪元宝”四个字。钱币底部铸“库平七钱二分”记值，图案历经百年依然清晰精美；背面上缘铸：英文省名“HU-PEH PROVINCE”；左右两侧各加铸一“本省；中间铸一“坐龙”图（座龙:因它近似英文字母的"S",故也称为"S"龙,版别较多,有大龙,小龙,粗龙,细龙等几十种. 此为细龙）；下缘铸英文计重：“7 MACE AND 2 CANDAREENS”字样。藏品包浆自然淳厚，品相完好，形制规整，质地优良，字体笔法流畅，纹饰刻制工细。为晚晴时期试铸样币，此种钱币存世量稀少，具有不错的收藏价值。

从近几年艺术品交易市场的成交记录来看，光绪元宝拥有较好的市场潜力，其市场价格一路攀升，几年时间里，单枚光绪元宝交易价格从数十万到上百万持续走高。专家预计未来几年光绪元宝的市场价值仍将继续上涨，除了收藏家的追捧外，还有大量投资者加入到这一板块收藏中，此币种的升值空间也将不断扩大。

 

英文翻译：

Hubei mint is after the Guangdong mint, the earlier since the coin of one of the provinces. After the construction of the Guangdong Mint, Zhang Zhidong, governor of Guangdong and Guangdong province, delegated to the governor of The Two lakes, and authorized the establishment of the mint in Wuchang, Hubei province in the nineteenth year of guangxu emperor (1893). Created in 1896 in hubei province "provincial" guangxu seven money yuan treasure ping binary, by the bureau of hubei silver imitation silver casting circulation in guangdong city, about first cast by embedded "provincial" 2 words, in order to show and different from other provinces, tough because of the author, after back to cast, will go, "provincial" two words not destroyed recasting and remain a handful, and much to wear or stamp, did not make things rare.   The date of making and the reason for issuing the silver coins in Hubei province are not found in the general literature, so there is no conclusive evidence for the claims in all the books. According to The English newspaper The Celestial Empire of October 2, 1896, "Although The Governor insisted on making a thousand pieces of money for each silver dollar, at this time The market rate was only 850 pieces of money, which was not received, and The money which was paid for The army soon returned..." At such a time. This can also prove that the lack of money at that time, the merchant is not willing to buy a thousand yuan from the silver bureau to pay taxes, the authorities have written. The provincial silver was quickly withdrawn from circulation and destroyed and recast in a state of difficulty, few of which remain today. There should be five kinds of silver dollars plus the words of this province. At present, there are only three kinds of silver dollars, twenty cents and one dime.     Recently, the Collection of Hubei Province guangxu yuan Bao (this province) Kuping seven money two, the coin front bead ring outside the top casting script "Hubei Province to make" on behalf of the coin casting place; Two six-petalled flowers were cast on the left and right sides; Inside the bead ring is cast "Guangxu yuan Bao" four characters. The bottom of the coin cast "Kuping seven money two" to record the value, the pattern after a hundred years is still clear and exquisite; Back upper margin casting: English PROVINCE name "Hu-PEh PROVINCE"; Add one "province" on the left and right sides; Middle cast a "sitting dragon" picture (constellation dragon: because it is similar to the English letter of "S", it is also called "S" dragon, version more, there are dozens of dragon, small dragon, coarse dragon, fine dragon and so on. This is a fine dragon); "7 MACE AND 2 CANDAREENS". The package pulp is natural, honest and thick, the product phase is intact, the shape and system is regular, the quality of quality, the font is smooth, the decorative carving fine. This kind of coin is rare in the world and has good collection value. Judging from the transaction records in the art trading market in recent years, Guangxu Yuan Bao has good market potential and its market price has been rising all the way. In a few years, the transaction price of a single Guangxu Yuan Bao has been rising from hundreds of thousands to millions. Experts expect the market value of Guangxu Yuan Bao to continue to rise in the next few years. In addition to collectors' pursuit, there are also a large number of investors to join the collection of this plate, and the appreciation space of this currency will continue to expand.