Item number: A3865

Year: AD 41-75

Material: Bronze

Size: 25.9 x 25.7 x 1.0 mm

Weight: 2.75 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This coin is identified as a “Wuzhu” coin from the early Eastern Han period, first minted in the seventeenth year of the Jianwu reign of Emperor Guangwu (AD 41), and is therefore also referred to as the “Jianwu-style Wuzhu” coin.

The coin is circular with a square central hole. The obverse is furnished with an outer rim but lacks an inner border, while the reverse has both an outer rim and an inner border and is plain, without inscription. The obverse inscription reads “Wu Zhu” in seal script, to be read from right to left. The character wu is written with curved strokes, resembling the structure seen in late Western Han examples. In the character zhu, the head of the jin (金) radical is triangular in form, relatively large, and sharply pointed, aligning with the head of the zhu (朱) component; the four dots of the jin radical are rectangular in shape. The head of the zhu component is slightly shorter, while its lower part is somewhat longer, with rounded turning strokes that extend slightly outward. The structure of the characters and the evenness of the strokes are well balanced, corresponding to the description “strict and refined” (yan zhong jing mei) as noted in the Yan Qian Bie Lu. Although the outer rim has been filed through circulation, the edge of the coin retains a slight curvature, differing from the smooth and straight edge characteristic of Western Han Wu Zhu coins. A single dot is present below the square hole on the obverse.

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.

Emperor Guangwu, personal name Liu Xiu, was the founding emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty and a descendant of the Western Han imperial lineage. He rose in rebellion against Wang Mang during the final years of the Xin dynasty and, after pivotal victories such as the Battle of Kunyang, ascended the throne in AD 25. He established the Eastern Han with its capital at Luoyang, initiating what is historically known as the “Guangwu Restoration.” During his reign, he focused on kerbing the power of influential clans, reforming the bureaucracy, reviving the economy, and reinstating the Confucian system. His policies promoted moral governance, light taxation, and lenient punishments, thereby securing the stability and longevity of the Eastern Han regime.

物件編號: A3865

年代: 公元 41-75 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 25.9 x 25.7 x 1.0 mm

重量: 2.75 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

此錢應為東漢早期之五銖錢，於光武帝建武十七年(公元41年)始鑄，故亦稱建武型五銖錢。

錢幣體圓穿方，錢面有外輪而無內廓，錢背具外輪內廓，光素無文。錢文為「五銖」篆書，由右向左順讀。「五」字曲筆，與西漢晚期之「五」字結構相類。「銖」字「金」旁首部三角形較大，尖端較銳，與「朱」旁之首部齊平；「金」旁四點呈長方；「朱」旁首部稍短，尾部稍長，筆劃圓折，並向外稍微伸展。字劃結構、線條均勻，方若《言錢別錄》稱其「嚴重精美」​。外輪經磨鑢，但幣稜稍有弧度，與西漢五銖幣稜之光滑平直相異。錢面錢穿下方有一點。

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。

光武帝，名劉秀，為東漢開國皇帝，西漢宗室後裔，於新莽末年起兵反抗王莽，歷經昆陽之戰等關鍵戰役後於公元25年即位，定都洛陽，建立東漢王朝，史稱光武中興。其在位時致力於削弱豪強、整飭吏治、恢復經濟與儒學體制，實施以德化民、薄賦輕刑等政策，使東漢政權得以穩固延續。