Item number: A2573

Year: AD 1101-1106

Material: Bronze

Size: 29.9 x 29.7 x 1.2 mm

Weight: 6.5 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a coin from the Northern Song Dynasty, minted during the first year of Emperor Huizong’s Jianzhong Jingguo era (AD 1101). The inscriptions on the coin primarily appear in running and seal script.

The era name “Jianzhong Jingguo” carries significant meaning: “Jianzhong” refers to “establishing the path of central righteousness,” and “Jingguo” means “quelling internal strife to bring stability to the nation.”

The coin is of the typical square-holed type, and based on its dimensions, it is identified as having a face value of two cash. The obverse bears the inscription Shengsong Yuanbao (聖宋元寶) in running script, arranged in a clockwise reading order. The reverse side is blank, without any design or inscription.

Emperor Huizong of Song, whose personal name was Zhao Ji, was the eighth emperor of the Song Dynasty.

He had a profound interest in tea culture and calligraphy, and he authored a book titled “Treatise on Tea in the Daguan Era,” which describes the tea art of the Song Dynasty, including tea appreciation and tea competitions. This book is the only tea monograph written by a reigning emperor in history.

Emperor Huizong also created the “Slender Gold” style of calligraphy, which he applied to his writings. The Slender Gold style, based on regular script, is characterised by its strong strokes and is considered a precursor to the Song style script.

物件編號: A2573

年代: 公元 1101-1106 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 29.9 x 29.7 x 1.2 mm

重量: 6.5 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

聖宋元寶，這是一枚北宋徽宗「建中靖國」元年(公元1101年)鑄造的國號錢，其錢文以行、篆二種書體居多。該年年號「建中靖國」頗具涵義，「建中」意即「建立中正（不偏不倚）之道」、「靖國」，指消除黨爭，使社稷安定。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢，按照尺寸其面額為折二。錢幣正面有「聖宋元寶」四字行書旋讀。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何圖案或文字。

宋徽宗，本名趙佶，宋朝第八位皇帝，對茶學、書法頗有研究，他曾寫下一本《大觀茶論》，描述宋代人觀茶、品茶，甚至「鬥茶」等茶藝術。《大觀茶論》除了描述宋代飲茶的現象外，更是世上唯一一本由帝王撰寫的茶葉專著。

宋徽宗也自創「瘦金體」，並將之應用於書法上，瘦金體以楷書為本，筆畫剛勁，是仿宋體的前身。