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Three Kingdoms Period
Wu Daquan Two Thousand
三國
吳大泉二千
Item number: A1259
Year: AD 238-280
Material: Bronze
Size: 32.61 x 32.55 mm
Weight: 9.83 g
Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2016
This is a “Daqian Liangqian” coin minted by the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period. The coin is circular with a square hole in the center and a blank reverse side. It shows significant signs of corrosion, but the four characters “Daqian Liangqian” in seal script are still recognisable on the front. It was a large-value coin.
In AD 229, Sun Quan declared himself emperor and established the Wu Kingdom. In addition to the circulation of old Han dynasty coins, the Wu Kingdom also minted four types of coins: “Daqian Wubai,” “Daqian Dangqian,” “Daqian Liangqian,” and “Daqian Wuqian.” Among these, “Daqian Wubai” and “Daqian Dangqian” are documented in historical records. However, “Daqian Liangqian” and “Daqian Wuqian” lack historical references, and they are seldom recorded in ancient texts. Nevertheless, their manufacturing technique, script style, and bronze material are similar to those of “Daqian Wubai” and “Daqian Dangqian,” which suggests that they were also minted by the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period. The number of “Daqian Liangqian” and “Daqian Wuqian” coins discovered is very limited, making them relatively rare among ancient coins.
The reason for the extremely limited number of “Daqian Liangqian” and “Daqian Wuqian” coins, as well as their near absence in historical or ancient texts, may be related to the situation following the issuance of the “Daqian Dangqian” coin. After the release of “Daqian Dangqian,” its weight gradually decreased significantly, leading to strong public opposition. People refused to use these coins due to their diminishing value, and many stopped trading altogether. In AD 246, the Wu Kingdom abandoned this currency, and the government recalled the circulating coins, melting them down to be recast. Therefore, it is speculated that “Daqian Liangqian” and “Daqian Wuqian” coins may not have been released to the market due to the crisis caused by “Daqian Dangqian,” which is why they are not recorded in historical texts and only a few specimens have survived to the present day.