Chinese cash coins were first produced during the Warring States period, and they became standardised as the Ban Liang (半兩) coinage during the Qin dynasty which followed. Over the years, cash coins have had many different inscriptions, and the Wu Zhu (五銖) inscription, which first appeared under the Han dynasty, became the most commonly used inscription and was often used by succeeding dynasties for 700 years until the introduction of the Kaiyuan Tongbao (開元通寳) during the Tang dynasty. This was also the first time regular script was used as all earlier cash coins exclusively used seal script. During the Song dynasty a large number of different inscriptions was used, and several different styles of Chinese calligraphy were used, even on coins with the same inscriptions produced during the same period. These cash coins are known as matched coins (對錢). This was originally pioneered by the Southern Tang.
During the Yuan dynasty, largely deprecated copper coinage was abandoned in favour of paper money. This trend continued under the Ming dynasty. Cash coins only contained the era names of the emperor during the Ming dynasty. Due to a naming taboo the term "Yuanbao" (元寶) was phased out from cash coin inscriptions as the founder of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang had the word "Yuan" (元) in his name.
The trend of exclusively using the era names on currencies continued during the Qing dynasty, and all cash coins issued during this period were written in regular script.
Below is a list of obverse inscriptions that were used on Chinese cash coins organized by period and/or dynasty.Numis' Numismatic Encyclopedia. A reference list of 5000 years of Chinese coinage. (Numista) Written on December 9, 2012 • Last edit: June 13, 2013. Retrieved: 02 August 2018.Charms.ru Coincidences of Vietnam and China cash coins legends. Francis Ng, People's Republic of China, Thuan D. Luc, United States, and Vladimir A. Belyaev, Russia March–June, 1999 Retrieved: 17 June 2017.
Warring States
During the Warring states period, the first precursors of the Chinese cash coins started to appear. These early round coins (圜錢, huánqián) circulated alongside the knife and spade money. As most of these early round coins had round holes, the first "true" cash coins were the Yi Hua (一化) produced by the State of Yan. Apart from two small and presumably late coins from the State of Qin, coins from the spade money area have a round hole and refer to the jin and liang units. Those from the knife money area have a square hole and are denominated in hua.
Round hole, no rims, reverses plain and flat List of early round coins produced between 350 BC and 220 BC:Cao Guicen (曹桂岑) (1998). "Huanqian (圜錢)", in Tang Jiahong (唐嘉弘), ed. Zhongguo gudai dianzhang zhidu cidian (中國古代典章制度大辭典) (Zhengzhou: Zhongzhou guji chubanshe), 324. (in Mandarin Chinese)Chen Dewei (陳德維), ed. (1992). Shichang da cidian (市場大辭典) (Beijing: Zhongguo kexue jishu chubanshe), Vol. 2, 977. (in Mandarin Chinese)Guo Tiexuan (郭鐵宣) (1993). "Huanqian (圜錢)", in Shi Quanchang (石泉長), ed. Zhonghua baike yaolan 中華百科要覽 (Shenyang: Liaoning renmin chubanshe), 137. (in Mandarin Chinese)Li Zhaochao (李召朝) (1997). "Huanqian (圜錢)", in Men Kui (門巋), Zhang Yanjin (張燕瑾), ed. Zhonghua guocui da cidian (中華國粹大辭典) (Xianggang: Guoji wenhua chuban gongsi), 103. (in Mandarin Chinese)Zhou Fazeng (周發增), Chen Longtao (陳隆濤), Qi Jixiang (齊吉祥), ed. (1988). Zhongguo gudai zhengzhi zhidu shi cidian (中國古代政治制度史辭典) (Beijing: Shoudu shifan daxue chubanshe), 345. (in Mandarin Chinese)
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu pinyin Meaning Alternative reading(s) Image Gong 共 gòng A city in the state of Liang None Gong Tun Chi Jin 共屯赤金 gòng tún chì jīn "Gong pure copper" 共純赤金(Gong Chun Chi Jin) Gong Ban Jin 共半釿 gòng bàn jīn "Gong, half jin" None Yuan 垣 yuán A city in the state of Liang Gu 古 gǔ "Old" An Zang 安臧 ān zāng A city in the state of Zhou Qi Yuan Yi Jin 桼垣一釿 qī yuán yì jīn "Qiyuan, one Jin",State of Liang 長垣一釿(Chang Yuan Yi Jin)桼圜一釿(Qi Yuan Yi Jin) 桼睘一釿 Xiang Yin 襄陰 xiāng yīn A city in the state of Liang 濟陰(Ji Yin)畢陰(Bi Yin) Li Shi 離石 lí shí A city in the state of Zhao None Feng Ping 封坪 fēng píng Unknown 陰坪(Yin Ping)武坪(Wu Ping) Hou Jin 侯釿 hóu jīn "Hou, (one) Jin" 𥎦釿(Hou Jin) Lin 焛 lìn A city in the state of Zhao 藺 / 閵(Lin) Wu'an 武安 wǔ ān "Martial peace" None Pishi 皮氏 pí shì Pingbei 平備 píng bèi "Perfect peace" Xi Zhou 西周 xī zhōu State of Western Zhou Dong Zhou 東周 dōng zhōu State of Eastern Zhou Ban Yuan 半睘 bàn qióng "Half Coin"
State of Yan
List of early round coins produced by the State of Yan between 300 BC and 220 BC:
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu pinyin Alternative reading(s) Image Yi Hua 一化 yī huà 一刀(Yi Dao) Ming Hua 明化 míng huà 明刀(Ming Dao)匽化(Yan Hua) Ming Si 明四 míng sì 匽四(Yan Si)
State of Qi
List of early round coins produced by the State of Qi between 300 BC and 220 BC:
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu pinyin Alternative reading(s) Image Yi Hua 益化 yì huà 賹化(Ai Hua) Yi Si Hua 益四化 yì sì huà 賹四化(Ai Si Hua) Yi Liu Hua 益六化 yì liù huà 賹六化(Ai Liu Hua)
State of Qin
List of early round coins produced by the State of Qin between 250 BC and 220 BC:
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu pinyin Meaning Image Zhu Zhong Yi Liang Shi Er 珠重一兩十二 zhū zhòng yī liǎng shí èr "Weight of 1 Liang and 12 times 1 Zhu" Zhu Zhong Yi Liang Shi Si 珠重一兩十四 zhū zhòng yī liǎng shí sì "Weight of 1 Liang and 14 times 1 Zhu" Chang'an 長安 cháng'ān Said to have been cast by Zhao Chengjiao,Lord of Chang'an. Wenxin 文信 wén xìn Said to have been cast by Lü Buwei,the Marquis of Wenxin. Liang Zi 兩甾 liǎng zī "Two Zi"(12 Zhu) Ban Liang 半兩 bàn liǎng "Half tael"
Qin dynasty
During the Qin dynasty production of the Ban Liang cash coins continued and its weight was standardised.
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu pinyin Literal translation Years of production Emperors Image Ban Liang 半兩 bàn liǎng "Half tael" 221 BC–206 BC Qin Shi HuangQin Er Shi
Western Han dynasty
Under the Western Han dynasty the Ban Liang cash coins of the earlier Qin dynasty were retained until a series of monetary reforms replaced them first with the San Zhu and then the Wu Zhu, the latter would be continued to be manufactured for around 700 years.
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu pinyin Literal translation Years of production Image Ban Liang 半兩 bàn liǎng "Half tael" 206 BC–119 BC San Zhu 三銖 sān zhū "Three Zhu" 119 BC–118 BC Wu Zhu 五銖 wǔ zhū "Five Zhu" 118 BC–9 AD
Xin dynasty
After Wang Mang usurped the throne he instituted various monetary reforms, in AD 9 he retained the Wu Zhu cash coins but introduced two new types of Knife money, between AD 9 and 10 he introduced an impossibly complex system involving tortoise shell, cowries, gold, silver, six round copper coins, and a reintroduction of the spade money in ten denominations. In AD 14, all these tokens were abolished, and replaced by another type of spade coin and new round coins.The Numismatic Legacy of Wang Mang, AD 9 - 23 (Ancient Cast Chinese Coins Series - Lidai Guqian) by Heinz Gratzer and A.M. Fishman. Published: 20 March 2017. .
List of cash coins issued by the Xin dynasty:
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu pinyin Literal translation Years of production Emperor Image The Six Round Coins (series 9–14) Xiao Quan Zhi Yi 小泉直一 xiǎoquán zhí yī "Small Coin, Value One" 9–14 Wang Mang Yao Quan Yi Shi 么泉一十 yǎo quán yīshí "Baby Coin, Ten" You Quan Er Shi 幼泉二十 yòu quán èrshí "Juvenile Coin, Twenty" Zhong Quan San Shi 中泉三十 zhōng quán sānshí "Middle Coin, Thirty" Zhuang Quan Si Shi 壯泉四十 zhuàng quán sìshí "Adult Coin, Forty" Da Quan Wu Shi 大泉五十 dàquán wǔshí "Large coin with a nominal value of fifty (Wu Zhu cash coins)" Later issues Huo Quan 貨泉 huòquán "Wealth/Money Coin" 14–23 Wang Mang Bu Quan 布泉 bù quán "Spade Coin"
Chengjia
The rebel Gongsun Shu cast iron cash coins based on the Wu Zhu's of the Western Han dynasty in his rebel state of Chengjia in present-day Sichuan:
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu Pinyin Emperor Approximate years of mintage Image Wu Zhu 五銖 wǔ zhū Gongsun Shu 25–36
Eastern Han dynasty
The Eastern Han dynasty only cast Wu Zhu (五銖) cash coins.
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu Pinyin Image Wu Zhu 五銖 wǔ zhū
Kingdom of Khotan
List of cash coins produced by the Kingdom of Khotan:Cribb, Joe, "The Sino-Kharosthi Coins of Khotan: Their Attribution and Relevance to Kushan Chronology: Part 1", Numismatic Chronicle Vol. 144 (1984), pp. 128–152; and Cribb, Joe, "The Sino-Kharosthi Coins of Khotan: Their Attribution and Relevance to Kushan Chronology: Part 2", Numismatic Chronicle Vol. 145 (1985), pp. 136–149.
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu Pinyin Approximate years of production King Illustration(from A. Stein) Image Yu Fang 于方 yú fāng 129–130 Fang Qian
Three Kingdoms
List of Chinese cash coins issued during Three Kingdoms period:
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu pinyin Literal translation Approximate years of production King Image Cao Wei (222–265) Wu Zhu 五銖 wǔ zhū "Five Zhu" 227–265 All(except for Cao Pi) Shu Han (221–265) Zhi Bai Wu Zhu 直百五銖 zhí bǎi wǔ zhū "Value One Hundred Wu Zhu" 214 Liu Bei Zhi Bai 直百 zhí bǎi "Value One Hundred" 214 Tai Ping Bai Qian 太平百錢 tàipíng bǎi qián "Taiping One Hundred Cash" Unknown Tai Ping Bai Jin 太平百金 tàipíng bǎi jīn Zhi Yi 直一 zhí yī "Value One" Ding Ping Yi Bai 定平一百 dìngpíng yībǎi "Ding Ping One Hundred" Wu Zhu 五銖 wǔ zhū "Five Zhu" Eastern Wu (222–280) Da Quan Wu Bai 大泉五百 dàquán wǔbǎi "Large Coin, Five Hundred" 236 Sun Quan Da Quan Dang Qian 大泉當千 dàquán dāng qiān "Large Coin Worth a Thousand" 238 Da Quan Er Qian 大泉二千 dàquán èrqiān "Large Coin, Two Thousand" Unknown Da Quan Wu Qian 大泉五千 dàquán wǔqiān "Large Coin, Five Thousand"
Kingdom of Kucha
List of cash coins produced by the Kingdom of Kucha:Jen, David Chinese Cash: Identification and Price Guide, 340 p, 2000.
Inscription(Obverse) Inscription(Reverse) Approximate years of production Differentiating features Image Blank 265–589 These have a rim around the square centre hole on one side while the other side is rimless, they tend to thin on the outside while they're thick on the inside. Similar to the first type but these cash coins have no inner rim. These cash coins are completely without rim but are square in shape and have a square centre hole, they tend to be very thin. These cash coins are irregularly shaped, diminutive in size, thin, and are cast of poor workmanship. Some are merely five millimeters in diameter and weigh as little as 0.2 grams. 五銖(Wu Zhu) An undeciphered Kuśiññe language inscription. Unknown These are the only known cash coins produced by Kucha with an inscription.
Jin dynasty and Sixteen Kingdoms
List of Chinese cash coins produced during the Jin dynasty and Sixteen Kingdoms period:
Inscription Traditional Chinese Hanyu pinyin Literal translation Approximate years of production Monarch Image Jin dynasty (266–420) Wu Zhu 五銖 wǔ zhū "Five Zhu" Unknown Unknown Former Liang Kingdom (301–376) Liang Zao Xin Quan 涼造新泉 liáng zào xīnquán "Liang Made New Coin" 317–376 King Zhang Gui Wu Zhu 五銖 wǔ zhū "Five Zhu" Unknown King Zhang Gui Later Zhao Kingdom (319–352) Feng Huo 豐貨 fēng huò "The Coin of Abundance" 319 Shi Le Cheng Han Kingdom (303–347) Han Xing 漢興 hàn xìng "the period title of [Han Xing]" 337–343 Li Shou Xia Kingdom (407–431) Tai Xia Zhen Xing 太夏眞興 tài xià zhēnxìng "Great Xia, Zhenxing [period]" 419–424 Helian Bobo
Northern and Southern dynasties
List of cash coins produced by the Northern and Southern dynasties: