Item number: A2051

Year: AD 510-528

Material: Bronze

Size: 22.0 x 22.9 x 0.5 mm

Weight: 1.4 g

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This coin is presumed to be a “Yongping Wuzhu”, first minted in the third year of the Yongping reign of the Northern Wei dynasty (AD 510). Its circulation and production likely continued into the reign of Emperor Xiaoming (AD 515–528), particularly in the capital and neighbouring prefectures.

The obverse of the coin features an outer rim without an inner rim. The outer rim is uneven, while the interior appears rough, possibly due to a casting error known as “flowed metal”, wherein the mould was not completely filled before cooling. The inscription reads “wuzhu” (“five zhu”). The character “wu” (“five”) is rendered with slightly curved strokes at the junctions, and its two horizontal lines do not extend outward. The calligraphy is elongated and robust in stroke. The reverse bears neither rim nor inner border, which may be attributable to wear or erosion.

According to the “Treatise on Food and Money” in the “Book of Wei”, “In the winter of the third year of the Yongping reign under Emperor Shizong, wuzhu coins were again minted.” The earliest issues of the Yongping Wuzhu were relatively thick and heavy; however, subsequent minting saw increasing degradation in quality. The coins became inconsistent in size and weight, and inferior privately cast imitations entered circulation alongside official currency.

At the time of acquisition, this coin was catalogued as part of the Six Dynasties coinage.

物件編號: A2051

年代: 公元 510-528 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 22.0 x 22.9 x 0.5 mm

重量: 1.4 g

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

此錢應為「永平五銖」，於北魏永平三年(公元510年)始鑄，至孝明帝之世(公元515-528)，京師及附近州郡或仍有鑄行。

錢幣正面有外輪而無內廓，外輪不均，內廓粗糙，可能為製作過程中失誤所導致的流銅現象，即錢範未及鑄滿旋冷卻。錢文為「五銖」，「五」字交筆微曲，二橫畫並未前出，字形細長，筆劃粗壯。錢背無輪無廓，或經磨損。

《魏書·食貨志》載：「世宗永平三年冬，又鑄五銖錢」，初鑄之永平五銖，錢體較為厚重，此後鑄造漸濫，錢體大小不一、輕重懸殊，與私鑄劣錢混雜行於市場。

此錢幣入藏時註記為六朝錢幣。