Item number: A2106

Year: AD 236

Material: Bronze

Size: 29.0 x 29.2 x 1.4 mm

Weight: 6.35 g

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This is a “Daquan Five Hundred” (大泉五百) coin minted in the 5th year of Jiahe (AD 236) during the Three Kingdoms period by the state of Wu. At the time of its issuance, seven years had passed since Sun Quan had proclaimed himself emperor.

The coin has the typical square-holed cash coin design and is made of bronze. On the obverse, the inscription “大泉五百” (Daquan Five Hundred) is engraved in small seal script with a clerical style, arranged in the sequence of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side is plain, with no inscriptions or designs.

It is traditionally believed that the calligraphy on the coin was crafted by Jie Xiang, a scholar and Daoist from Kuaiji (modern-day Zhejiang), who was well-versed in the Confucian classics and Daoist practises, and also renowned for his excellent handwriting. Sun Quan, impressed by Jie Xiang’s skills, invited him to live in the palace.

In AD 229, Sun Quan officially declared himself emperor, establishing the Eastern Wu state with Jiankang (modern-day Nanjing) as its capital, thereby gaining control over the southern regions of China. After founding his state, Sun Quan issued several large-denomination “Daquan” coins, including “Daquan Five Hundred,” “Daquan One Thousand,” “Daquan Two Thousand,” and “Daquan Five Thousand”. These were nominally valued coins intended to challenge the economic influence of Cao Wei and Shu Han. However, their issuance proved ineffective, and instead of strengthening the economy, they exacerbated internal economic problems within the Wu state.

物件編號: A2106

年代: 公元 236 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 29.0 x 29.2 x 1.4 mm

重量: 6.35 g

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

這是一枚三國時代的吳國，於嘉禾5年(公元236年) 鑄造的「大泉五百」，彼時距離孫權自行稱帝已經過了七年的時間。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢，材質為青銅。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左的順序，依序以帶有隸書風格的小篆書法鐫刻「大泉五百」四字。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何文字或圖案。相傳錢幣的書法是孫權親自請託的方士介象之手，介象出身於浙江一帶的會稽，精通諸子百家和道術外，更有一手好書法，故獲得孫權敬重邀請他至宮殿內居住。

公元229年，以建業(南京)為統治中心控制江南地區的孫權正式自立為皇帝。孫權立國後，先後發行過「大泉五百」「大泉當千」「大泉兩千」「大泉五千」大面額的虛值錢幣，以此在經濟上面跟曹魏和蜀漢進行對抗，但是成效不彰反而導致孫吳內部的經濟問題。