Coins of Ancient China


Pre-Chou & Chou Dynasty (pre 255 BCE.)

reign title: CHENG-LUNG, AD 1156-1161
IMAGE
DESCRIPTION
REFERENCE
Anonymous (circa 600 - 300 BC) AE 'ghost head' or 'ant nose'(1.76 gms).
Possibly the first metal coins. There are many varieties, this being the most common 		FD 4, Mitchiner ACW 5376; Schjoth 15
Anonymous (circa 600 - 300 BC) AE 'Bridge Money'(109 x 43mm; 8.80 gms).
 FD -, Mitchiner ACW 5493, Schjoth -
Anonymous (circa 350 - 250 BC) AE 'square-footed spade'(44 x 28 mm; 4.60 gms).
 FD182 RANG-YIN
Chou Dynasty @265 BCE AE cash coin 23 mm
Obv: yi-tao (one knife).
This is one of the first (within @ 100 yrs.) of the series of round coins with square holes, a design that China used for the next 2100 years. This coin was issued in a period of economic hardship during the final collapse of the Chou Dynasty called the warring states period. 		Schjoth 78

Western Han Dynasty (206 BCE. - 25 CE)
Emperor Wen 179 - 157 BCE AE cash coin 23 mm
Obv: Pan Liang.		 Schjoth 93
Emperor Wen 179 - 157 BCE AE cash coin 23 mm
Obv: Pan Liang.		 Schjoth 93
Emperor Wen 179 - 157 BCE AE cash coin 23 mm
Obv: Pan Liang.		 Schjoth 93

Emperor Wu Ti (141 - 87 BC) 26 mm 2.21 gm
Obv: Wu Shu.

This type was made across several reigns. See 4th & 5th coin down from here.

Mitchiner ACW 5435 - 5436, Schjoth 114

Wang Mang Interregnum (7 - 22 CE)
Wang Mang 9 - 23 CE AE spade coin
Obv: Huo Pu
57 x 22 mm		 Schjoth 148
Wang Mang 9 - 23 CE AE 22 1.98 gm
Obv: Huo Ch'uan (14 - circa 40 AD)		 FD 488, Mitchiner ACW 5456v., Schjoth 150
Wang Mang 9 - 23 CE AE 26 4.91 gm
Obv: Huo Ch'uan Huo TA-CH'UAN WU-SHIH (14 - circa 40 AD)		 FD 453, Schjoth @130

Liang Dynasty (420 - 479 CE)

Wu Chu Coin (112 - 559 CE) -
(23 mm, 2.56 gm)
This coin type was minted for over 500 yrs under many rulers. Although hard to identify, Frank Robinson attributes this to the Sui Dynasty (589 - 618 CE).		 Schjoth 253
Wu Chu Coin (112 - 559 CE) -
(23 mm, 2.56 gm)
This coin type was minted for over 500 yrs under many rulers. Although hard to identify, Frank Robinson attributes this to the Sui Dynasty (589 - 618 CE).		 Schjoth 253

T'ang Dynasty (618-907 CE)

Emperor: Su T'sung 756 - 762 CE. (30 mm, 8.41 gm) Schjoth 352

The Five Dynasties (907 - 960 CE)

Emperor Chou Yuan 951 - 960 CE AE cash coin (23 mm 2.71 gm)
Posterior Chou Dynasty		 Schjoth 446
Emperor Yuan T'sung 907 - 961 CE AE cash coin (25 mm 3.44 gm)
Southern T'ang Dynasty		 Schjoth 442

Western Hsia Dynasty (982 - 1227 CE)

Jen Tsung (1140 - 1193 CE) Iron cash coin (26 mm 5.45 gm)
Reign title: Ch'ien yu
Obv: Ch'ien yu yuan pao		 Schjoth 1080
Jen Tsung (1140 - 1193 CE) Iron cash coin (25 mm 4.53 gm)
Reign title: Ch'ien yu
Obv: Ch'ien yu yuan pao		 Schjoth 1080

Northern Sung Dynasty (1115 - 1260 CE)

1107-1110 (Emperor Hui Tsung) ae Cash - 40 mm
Obverse Legend: Ta-kuan t'ung-pao (big watch through/thoroughfare treasure [Chun Chao])		 Schjoth 630, Jen 282
Emperor Chen Tsung 998 - 1022 CE AE cash coin 24 mm
Obv: Tien-Hsi; Tung-Pao		 Schjoth 480
Emperor Jen Tsung 1023 - 1063 CE AE cash coin 24 mm
Obv: Tien-Sheng; Yuan-Pao		 Schjoth 484
Emperor Jen Tsung 1023 - 1063 CE AE cash coin 25 mm 13.30 gm)
Obv: Tien-Sheng; Yuan-Pao		 Schjoth 486
Emperor Che Tsung 1086 - 1100 CE Iron coin (33 mm 13.30 gm) Schjoth 580

Southern Sung Dynasty (1115 - 1260 CE)

Emperor Shun Hsi 1086 - 1100 CE AE cash coin (29 mm 5.85 gm) Schjoth 734
Hsiao Tsung (1163 - 1189 a.d.)
Reign Title: Shun Hsi (1174- 1189 a.d.)		 Schjoth 746G
Hsiao Tsung (1163 - 1189 a.d.)
Reign Title: Shun Hsi (1174- 1189 a.d.)		 Schjoth 974
China Shao Ding tong bao 3 cash
Reign Title: Shun Hsi (1174- 1189 a.d.)		 Schjoth 976

Chin Dynasty (1115 - 1260 CE.)

Emperor Cheng Lung 1056 - 1161 CE AE cash coin (25 mm 3.41 gm) Schjoth 1083
Emperor Da Ding 1161 - 1190 CE AE cash coin
reverse character - YOU		 Schjoth 1089; Fisher 1643
THE NU-CHENG TARTARS, Emperor WAN-YEN LIANG AD 1149-1161 AE 25 (3.40 gms.)
Obv: CHENG-LUNG YUAN-PAO		 Schjoth 1083; Fisher 1637

Yuan (Mongol) Dynasty (1280 - 1368 CE)

Emperor Wu Zong 1308-11 CE AE 10 cash coin 40 mm
Yuan Dynasty [Mongol]
The characters are Seal Script.
This particular coin had a very short life apparently from the commoners hoarding them. An edict was issued proclaiming 50 days for them to be turned in at the Certificate Treasuries for exchange. It also stated that
violators would be punished. - Thanks to James Lomiento

Hartill:19:46; Fisher :1733

Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 CE)

Emperor Tien Shen 1457-1464 CE (second reign) AE cash coin (37 mm 10.66 gm)
Ming Dynasty
Just a beautiful coin with a grainy red patina covering the interior of obverse. The reverse patina is green. Both have sparkles with the patina		 Schjoth 1321
Chuang Li 1628 - 1644 CE AE cash coin (25 mm 3.45 gm) ?
San Ko Wang 1655 CE AE cash coin (47 mm 19.89 gm)
Ming Dynasty rebel		 ?
Hung Kuang 1645 - 46 CE AE cash coin (26 mm 4.26 gm)
Ming Dynasty rebel		 Schjoth 1288

Ch'ing Dynasty (1644 - 1911 CE)

Emperor Shih Tsu 1644 -1661 CE cash coin (26 mm 4.35 gm)
Reign title: Shun Chih
Ching Dynasty
Che mint, Checkiang province		 Schjoth 1393
Emperor Kao Tsung 1736-1795 CE AE cash coin (25 mm 3.75 gm)
Reign title: Ch'ien Lung; Ching Dynasty
KIANGSI mint		 ?
Emperor Wen Tsung 1851-1861 CE 10 cash coin (26 mm 6.84 gm)
Reign title: Hsien Feng; Ching Dynasty
Obv: Hsien Feng, Chung Pao		 ?
Emperor Wen Tsung 1851-1861 CE 50 cash coin (52 mm 46.28 gm)
Reign title: Hsien Feng; Ching Dynasty
KIANGSI mint		 ?
Emperor Wen Tsung 1851-1861 CE Iron cash coin (23 mm 3.89 gm)
Reign title: Hsien Feng; Ching Dynasty
Board of Review mint.		 ?
Ta P'ing 1850 - 1864 CE AE cash coin (23 mm 3.46 gm)
Ching Dynasty rebel
Obv: Hung Hsiu Ch'uan
Rx: Sheng Pao (Sacred currency)		 Schjoth 1606 rare.
Te Tsung 1875 - 1908 CE AE cash coin (23 mm 3.50 gm)
Reign title: Kuang Hsu; Ching Dynasty
Fu mint; Fukien province.		 ?
The China republic, 1912-1949 CE AE 10 cash coin (27 mm 3.74 gm) ?
Howard Cole ID'ed this coin for me and it marks the end of an era - or eon.

It is listed in Jen's book, "Chinese Cash; Identification and Price Guide," on Chinese coins. It is number 863 and attributed to Xuan Tong (a.k.a Pu Yi), the last Chinese emperor (Qing Dynasty). It is also listed in "Krause's Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901 to Date. He lists it as Xuan Tong Tong Bao, Bao Quan Mint. It has a Fisher's Ding number of 2662.
?
"By this time machine-struck coppers and silver dollars had taken over the role of the square-holed cash, and the few that were minted by the Board of Revenue played only a symbolic role, minted in consideration for the livelihood of the mint workers who would otherwise be left without a job ..." (Jen, page 171)



1906 Szechuan 10 Cash Y#10t


1908 Szechuan 1 dollar 1914 Y 73 - cast warlord issue



1937 Rep. 1 Fen Y#347

Chinese Charms

IMAGE
DESCRIPTION
REFERENCE
K'ang-hsi coin charm, 1622-1722
Dragon & Phoenix rev, 55 mm, 58.09 gms.
The dragon represents royalty, rain, and spring. The dragon admonishes greed and avarice. The phoenix is the fabled bird that is burned and renewed from the ashes. In china, the phoenix is known as "Feng-Huang". "Feng" is the male phoenix and "Huang" is the female phoenix. The phoenix represents the Empress, beauty, warmth, prosperity and peace. The ancient Chinese believed that the dragon presided over the Eastern Quadrant of China and the phoenix ruled the Southern Quadrant.		 Schj. p.99 #30
Cheng-te coin charm
Dragon & Phoenix rev, 54 mm, 42.73 gms.		 Schj. p.98 #28
Openwork dragon & phoenix amulet
58 mm 29.62 gms.		 ?
Obverse of Schjoth 630 - 33 mm 17.02 gms.
Rev: Constellation, crescent, & pellet 		?
Spade shaped Amulet - Obverse: Dragons around Chinese characters Schjoth 630 - 54 x 103 mm
Rev: Huo-Pu as Schjoth 148 		?
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