Item number: A3303

Year: AD 1086-1094

Material: Bronze

Size: 29.6 x 30.0 x 1.6 mm

Weight: 7.35 g

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This coin was originally intended as a “Yuan You Tong Bao” zhe er denomination piece, made of bronze. It was cast during the reign of Emperor Zhezong of the Northern Song dynasty, specifically between the first and eighth years of the Yuan You era (AD 1086–1093). The term zhe er indicates that the coin was valued as equivalent to two xiao ping qian (small standard coins).

The coin conforms to the traditional Chinese style within the Sinosphere, namely a round coin with a square central hole. Both obverse and reverse sides possess an outer rim and inner border. The square hole at the centre has been modified with a drilled circular opening, which was later patched with an internal border. The obverse bears the inscription “Yuan You Tong Bao” written in semi-cursive script, read clockwise from the top. The character “Bao” appears taller than the others, a variant known as “Chang Bao” (elongated “Bao”). None of the four characters are connected to the central square hole or outer rim. The reverse side is plain, without inscription.

During the Song dynasty, a dual monetary system of copper and iron coins was employed, with distinct regional circulation. Iron coinage was primarily circulated in frontier regions such as Shaanxi, Guangnan, Sichuan, and Hedong, though the designated zones varied over time. In some areas, both copper and iron coins circulated concurrently. This policy emerged due to several factors: first, the scarcity of domestic copper resources; second, the need to prevent copper currency from flowing into rival regimes such as Western Xia, Liao, and Jin; and third, to locally supply military expenditures and thus relieve pressure on central finances. Consequently, the Song government initially minted iron coinage, and later—owing to the weight and inconvenience of iron coins—developed early forms of paper currency, such as jiaozi and huizi, as a medium of exchange.

Emperor Zhezong of Song (reigned AD 1085–1100), personal name Zhao Xu, was the seventh emperor of the Song dynasty. He ascended the throne at the age of nine, during which time Empress Dowager Gao (posthumously titled Empress Xuanren Shenglie) ruled as regent. In this early period, state affairs were dominated by the conservative faction led by Sima Guang, who implemented the “Yuan You Reform” to abolish the earlier reforms of Wang Anshi. Following the Empress Dowager’s death, Emperor Zhezong assumed direct control of governance and began to favour officials aligned with the reformist faction, such as Zhang Dun, thereby reinstating the reform policies in what came to be known as the “Shao Sheng Restoration”. Zhezong was known for his obstinate and self-willed temperament. His political approach tended toward appointing severe and uncompromising ministers, which led to governmental instability and intense factional strife. In foreign policy, peace was maintained with the Liao dynasty, while several military campaigns were launched against Western Xia, though these yielded limited success. The internal instability and increasing fiscal strain during his reign marked one of the pivotal turning points in the transition of the Northern Song dynasty from prosperity to decline. Emperor Zhezong died in the third year of the Yuan Fu era (AD 1100) without an heir and was succeeded by his younger brother Zhao Ji, later known as Emperor Huizong of Song.

物件編號: A3303

年代: 公元 1086-1094 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 29.6 x 30.0 x 1.6 mm

重量: 7.35 g

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

此錢原應為「元祐通寶」折二錢，青銅質。於北宋哲宗元祐元年至元祐八年(公元1086至1093年)間鑄造。「折二」意即可折二枚小平錢。

錢幣形制為漢文化圈傳統的方孔圓錢。錢面錢幕均具外輪及內廓，內穿加鑿圓孔處有補上內廓。錢面錢文為「元祐通寶」，行楷，自上順時針旋讀。「寶」字高度較高，稱「長寶」。四字均未接穿連輪。錢背光素無文。

兩宋時期的錢幣採銅-鐵二元制，區分行用區域，各自流通。鐵錢鉗多行用於陝西、廣南、四川、河東等邊境諸路或前線區域，時有更動，少數地區銅鐵並行。之所以如此，一來是國內的銅礦資源缺乏；二來是防止銅錢流入競爭對手，諸如西夏、遼和金等北方政權；三為就地供給軍需，以免拖垮中央財政。使得兩宋朝廷先是鑄造鐵錢，後更因鐵錢質重，攜帶不便，出現紙幣雛形的「交子、會子」作為貨幣。

宋哲宗(公元1085 年至1100年在位)，名趙煦，為宋朝第七位皇帝。哲宗即位時年僅九歲，由祖母宣仁聖烈皇后(高太后)垂簾聽政，初期政局由司馬光等新舊黨爭中的舊黨主導，推行「元祐更化」，廢止王安石變法。太后去世後，哲宗親政，轉而重用章惇等新法派，恢復變法政策，史稱「紹聖紹述」。哲宗個性剛愎自用，政治風格偏向任用嚴厲之臣，造成朝政動盪，黨爭激烈。外交上與遼國維持和議，對西夏則數次用兵，但戰果有限。哲宗時期內政不穩，財政日益緊張，是北宋由盛轉衰的重要轉折時期之一。他於元符三年(公元1100年)駕崩，無子，由其弟趙佶(即宋徽宗)繼位。