[chinafigure]
a n c i e n t  c h i n a

The coinage of China has not really changed (until very recently) for the last 2,250 years. With the exception of some spade, knife and bridge shaped pieces, most Chinese coins are cast bronze (AE), uniface, round and have a square hole in the middle. The odd shape of the 'ant nose' specimens suggest a substitution of the cowrie shell, once used as currency in China (see below). There is a tradition that they were inserted into the noses of the dead to keep out the ants. They may or may not be real 'coins'.


r e f e r e n c e s

Under reconstruction (October, 2008): For dates, reign lengths and transliterations I have used: David Hartill, Cast Chinese Coins, Trafford Publishing, Victoria BC, Canada (2005)


| Chou and Qin |
| Western Han - Eastern Han |
| Three Kingdoms - Disunion Period |
| Sui and Tang |
| Five Dynasties and Tartars |
| Northern Song |
| Southern Song |
| Yuan, Ming and Qing |



Chou Dynasty (1122 - 221 BC)


Anonymous (circa 800 - 400 BC (?))
Bone imitation cowrie
H 1.2; FD 2, Mitchiner ACW 5371, Schjoth -
16 x 25 mm.
2.54 gm.
Obverse:
Reverse: 2 holes.


Anonymous (circa 800 - 400 BC (?))
AE imitation cowrie
H 1.3; FD 3, Mitchiner ACW 5374, Schjoth -
16 x 21 mm.
2.23 gm.
Obverse:
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa ? BC)
Pottery imitation cowrie
H -; FD -, Schjoth -
18 x 29 mm.
1.85 gm.
Obverse:
Reverse:



Anonymous (circa 400 - 220 BC)
AE 'ghost head' or 'ant nose'
H 1.4; FD 4, Mitchiner ACW 5376, Schjoth XX.15
9 x 14 mm.
0.78 gm.
Obverse:
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 400 - 220 BC)
AE 'ghost head' or 'ant nose'
H 1.4; FD 4, Mitchiner ACW 5376, Schjoth XX.16
12 x 17 mm.
1.96 gm.
Obverse:
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 400 - 220 BC)
AE 'ghost head' or 'ant nose'
H 1.12; FD 5, Mitchiner ACW -, Schjoth -
11 x 19 mm.
1.37 gm.
Obverse:
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 400 - 220 BC)
AE 'ghost head' or 'ant nose'
H 1.9 (?); FD 6, Mitchiner ACW 5377, Schjoth XX.14
10 x 20 mm.
1.83 gm.
Obverse:
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 600 - 220 BC (?))
AE 'bridge money'
H -; FD -, Mitchiner ACW 5493, Schjoth -
102 x 38 mm.
14.30 gm.
Obverse: (no inscription)
Reverse: (no inscription)
Note: This may not be a monetary object.


Anonymous (circa 600 - 220 BC (?))
AE "Wa-Wa (Cicada) Money"
H -; FD -, Schjoth -
21 x 40 mm.
4.26 gm.
Obverse: (no inscription)
Reverse: (no inscription)
Note: This may not be a monetary object.



Anonymous (circa 600 - 400 BC)
AE 'knife money'
H 4.17 (?); FD 338 (?), Mitchiner ACW -, Schjoth 65
165 x 26 mm.
13.41 gm.
Obverse: 'Ba' (?)
Reverse: (?)


Anonymous (circa 400 - 220 BC)
AE 'knife money''
H 4.42 6.l variant; FD 344, Mitchiner ACW 5360v., Schjoth 58
142 x 17 mm.
14.56 gm.
Reverse: 'Nei Liu' (six) (?)
Obverse: 'Ming'



Anonymous (circa 350 - 250 BC; state: Yan)
AE 'square-footed spade'
H 3.401; FD 175; Schjoth 5
27 x 42 mm.
5.16 gm.
Obverse: 'Xiang Ping'
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 350 - 250 BC; state: Liang or Zhao)
AE 'square-footed spade'
H 3.361; FD 168, Mitchiner ACW 5358, Schjoth 11
27 x 45 mm.
6.09 gm.
Obverse: 'Ping Yang'
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 350 - 250 BC; state: Yan)
AE 'square-footed spade'
H 3.366; FD 178
26 x 38 mm.
5.87 gm.
Obverse: 'Ping Yin'
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 350 - 250 BC; state: Yan)
AE 'square-footed spade'
H 3.366; FD 178
27 x 43 mm.
5.02 gm.
Obverse: 'Ping Yin'
Reverse:



Anonymous (circa 250 - 221 BC)
AE Cash
FD 358, Mitchiner ACW 5383, Schjoth 73
44 mm.
8.73 gm.
Obverse: 'Yuan'; round hole.
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 250 - 221 BC)
AE Cash
Schjoth 76
25 mm.
3.15 gm.
Obverse:
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 250 - 221 BC)
AE Cash
Schjoth 76
25 mm.
1.85 gm.
Obverse:
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 250 - 221 BC)
AE Cash
Schjoth 77
19 mm.
1.08 gm.
Obverse: 'Yi (1) Huo'
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 250 - 221 BC)
AE Cash
Schjoth 78
20 mm.
1.53 gm.
Obverse: 'Yi (1) Huo'
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 250 - 221 BC)
AE Cash
Schjoth 78
20 mm.
1.85 gm.
Obverse: 'Yi (1) Huo'
Reverse:


Anonymous (circa 250 - 221 BC)
AE Cash
FD 382, Mitchiner ACW 5380, Schjoth 78
20 mm.
1.62 gm.
Obverse: 'Yi (1) Huo'
Reverse:


Qin Dynasty (221 - 207 BC)

Qin Shihuangdi (221 - 210 BC)
Er Shi (210 - 207 BC)


Anonymous (circa 221 - 210 BC)
AE Cash
FD 386, Mitchiner ACW 5387, Schjoth 80
31 mm.
7.43 gm.
Obverse: 'Pan Liang'
Reverse: 



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