Item number: A2253

Year: AD 147-190

Material: Bronze

Size: 24.8 x 24.8 x 0.8 mm

Weight: 2.6 g

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This coin is likely a Wuzhu coin from the late Eastern Han period, imitating the form of the Jianwu-style Wuzhu first minted in the seventeenth year of the Jianwu reign of Emperor Guangwu (AD 41).

The coin is round with a square central hole. The obverse bears an outer rim but lacks an inner border, while the reverse features both an outer rim and an inner border. At the four corners of the inner border, there appear to be raised or incised lines extending diagonally from each corner—referred to as “corner-to-rim lines”—some of which may touch or nearly touch the outer rim. Although the coin follows the general form of a “Wuzhu” coin, both obverse and reverse are plain and without inscriptions, suggesting it may be a “quanqian” or “spirit coin” used for funerary purposes. The outer rim is not perfectly circular, indicating poor craftsmanship. Although the edge has been filed, it retains a slight curvature, differing from the smooth and straight edges typical of Western Han “Wuzhu” coins.

The Eastern Han Wuzhu coins were first minted in the seventeenth year of the Jianwu reign (AD 41) under Emperor Guangwu, following the monetary standards of the Western Han and aiming to restore the economy after the turmoil of Wang Mang’s usurpation. However, over time, the quality of the coins declined in terms of metal composition, craftsmanship, calligraphy, and weight. In the first year of the Chuping reign (AD 190), Dong Zhuo debased the coinage by excessively minting Wuzhu coins, ultimately discrediting the Wuzhu monetary system and causing the collapse of official currency and the broader monetary economy.

物件編號: A2253

年代: 公元 147-190 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 24.8 x 24.8 x 0.8 mm

重量: 2.6 g

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

此錢應為東漢晚期之五銖錢，倣光武帝建武十七年(公元41年)始鑄之建武型五銖錢形制。

錢幣體圓穿方，錢面有外輪而無內廓，錢背具外輪內廓，內廓四角中數角疑具出紋或決紋，意即四角的對角線延長，碰觸或未碰觸到外輪。形制雖為五銖，但面背光素無文，疑為痊錢(冥錢)。外輪不成正圓，為工藝不精所致，幣稜雖經磨鑢，但稍有弧度，與西漢五銖幣稜之光滑平直相異。

東漢五銖錢始鑄於光武帝建武十七年(公元41年)，承西漢錢制，整理王莽亂後經濟。然鑄行日久，銅質、工藝、字形、重量均漸差。獻帝初平元年(公元190年)，董卓濫鑄五銖，終壞五銖錢制，使官錢再無法取信於民，貨幣經濟崩潰。