Item number: A4066

Year: AD 1054-1056

Material: Bronze

Size: 23.0 x 23.1 x 0.7 mm

Weight: 2.45 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

During the Zhihe era (AD 1054–AD 1056) under Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, three types of era coins were minted: “Zhihe Yuanbao,” “Zhihe Tongbao,” and “Zhihe Zhongbao,” with ” Zhihe Yuanbao ” available in three different script styles: Clerical, Regular, and Seal scripts.

This particular coin is an era coin from the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty.

The obverse side of the coin is round with a square central hole, featuring both inner and outer rims, with the outer rim and the inner rim.

The inscriptions on the coin read “Zhihe Yuanbao” in small Regular Script, arranged in a rotating clockwise manner.

The reverse of the coin bears the character Guo (虢), which was likely cast by the Zhuyang (朱陽) Mint in Shaanxi (陝西).

“Zhihe” was the eighth era name used by Emperor Renzong Zhao Zhen, and it signifies the ultimate harmony between heaven and earth.

During Emperor Renzong’s reign, Fan Zhongyan served as the prime minister. During the Qingli period, they attempted to implement the Qingli New Policies, but the effort failed due to overwhelming opposition.

There is also a popular folk tale known as the “The Cat for the Crown Prince” (狸貓換太子), in which the protagonist is Emperor Renzong himself.

物件編號: A4066

年代: 公元 1054-1056 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 23.0 x 23.1 x 0.7 mm

重量: 2.45 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

北宋仁宗至和年間（公元1054-1056年）曾鑄行「至和元寶」、「至和通寶」、「至和重寶」年號錢，其中「至和元寶」有隸、楷、篆三種書體。

這是一枚出自北宋仁宗年間的年號錢。該枚錢幣的正面為圓形，中央為方形穿孔，具內外廓。

錢文為「至和元寶」，小楷旋讀。錢幣背面為「虢」，可能為陝西朱陽監所鑄。

至和，是宋仁宗趙禎使用的第八個年號，有天地極和之涵義。宋仁宗時期的宰相為范仲淹，慶歷年間，君臣曾推行慶歷新法，然而因反對勢力過大而失敗。民間有傳聞「狸貓換太子」的故事，當中的主角也是當朝皇帝宋仁宗。