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Chinese Cash Coins

The people who lived in the land of present day China made cash coins for more than two thousand years. Calligraphically the most beautiful and technically the most sophisticated coins came from the Northern Song dynasty. Even the coins made of iron reveal most extraordinary craftsmanship. China has frequently been part of foreign empires, such as the Mongol, the Jin, the Liao and the Manchu who set their ruling centers in China. These dynasties cast coins with legends in their own languages and scripts as well as in the Chinese language. Some of these coins are quite beautiful as well.

Below is not an attempt at a comprehensive description of Chinese cash coins. It just touches on items of personal interest to me. As this page grows I may break it up into different dynasty pages.

At the bottom of each coin description I have put in the Chinese characters (using Japanese code). If your computer does not support Japanese this will come out in gibberish but don't worry it is not necessary.

This Tang dynasty Kai Yuan Tong Bao was minted from 845 long after the original version. It is part of an interesting series with mintmarks on the back. The reverse character here is Xing referring to the Xingyuan Fu mint. The patina on this coin is just the right color.

開元通宝　背典

This Guang Tian Yuan Bao was minted from 918 in the * (j. Shoku) dynasty during the three kingdoms era following the collapse of the Tang. I like the simple fierce dynamism of the Guang character. I find it a lovely coin but the casting skill is rather poor and the back does not even have a rim. The thickness varies as well

23mm x .8-.5mm

光天元宝

This Zhou Yuan Tong Bao was minted by the Posterior Zhou dynasty from the year 955. This coin is almost always very nicely cast. When I first saw this I thought, "maybe a mother coin" but was soon disillusioned. Frequently on the reverse of this coin is the half moon mark behind one of the characters. This one has it behind the Bao.

25.5mm x 1mm

周元通宝　背（

This Tai Ping Tong Bao (976-990) is the second coin issued in the Northern Song dynasty.

24mm x 1mm

太平通宝

The Yuan Feng Tong Bao was issued 1078-1086 in the middle of the Song dynasty. It one of the most common coins around and exists in infinite varieties. Partly because it circulated throughout East Asia many variants of the coin were produced in Japan and Southeast Asia. This coin is a common seal script variant and the light green patina has brought out the characters nicely.

24mmx1mm

元豊通宝　篆書

This Northern Song dynasty coin is called a Da Guan Tong Bao minted from 1107-1100. This three wen iron coin is a very fine example of skillful casting in iron.

大観通宝　三文鉄

I don't collect Chinese coins very assidously; mostly only when I see a coin that is very pretty to me. Somehow the Zheng He Tong Bao, minted in the Northern Song dynasty from 1111-1117 has many beautiful coins which have come my way. This coin is in the seal script. It is a one wen coin but I have made the image much bigger here. Why? Because it is the first mother coin (a coin used to cast circulating coins) I ever acquired. The fineness of the metal itself as well as the casting is something to behold.

25mmx1.2mm

政和通宝　重和様　篆書

母銭

Here is another beautiful Zheng He Tong Bao. Once again I have made the picture too large. This is a 3 wen value iron coin. Iron is difficult to cast nicely but this one shows how its to be done.

31.5mmx2.2mm

政和通宝　三文鉄

This Zheng He Tong Bao is the most common variety in formal script. The patina helps bring out the simple elegance of this standard coin.

25mmx1mm

政和通宝

This Zheng He Tong Bao has interesting calligraphy that is both dynamic and heavily stylized. The flat part of the coin is cast so thin that holes appeared in the manufacturing proces, and I feel I could poke through anywhere with a needle. Note the elegant points on the center square on the reverse side. Sunk under water in Java, this coin corroded badly at the rim but hardly at all on the faces.

24mm

政和通宝 美制

Most but not all coins minted by foreign dynasties used Chinese characters.This is a coin of the Mongol Yuan dynasty which is written in Mongol script. (oops! its upside down. I'll have to fix this). It says the equivalent of the Chinese, Da Yuan Tong Bao, or "Currency of the Great Yuan." This large coin is worth 10 wen and was minted 1308-12.

40.5 mm wide

大元通宝　（蒙古字）

This Yong Lo Tong Bao was first minted in the Ming dynasty in 1408. The coin was later specially minted for export and many ended up on foreign countries. I bought this nice example in Japan. The deep brown of the copper suggests that it may be of Japanese manufacture but I am not sure.

24.5mm x1mm

永楽通宝

This is a Qing dynasty coin called a Kang Xi Tong Bao. Emperor Kang Xi reigned from 1662-1723. This is a two wen iron coin with Manchu writing on the back indicating it was made in the Bao Quan mint.

28mmx1mm

康熈通宝　二文鉄

This is a Qing dynasty coin called a Qian Long Tong Bao. Emperor Qian Long reigned from 1736-1796. This coin was made in the Aksu mint in western China and which was famous for its claylike red colored coins. I love the Manchu script on the reverse of this coin.

24-5mmx1mm

乾隆通宝　背阿十