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1/10 Cash - Jingde Yuanbao, iron
| Issuer | Northern Song Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1004-1007 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Reverse description | Plain reverse with a central square hole (方穿) framed by a raised inner rim and a raised outer rim. The field is entirely blank and uninscribed, displaying the coarse, pitted surface texture characteristic of cast iron Song Dynasty coinage. No mint marks, symbols, or additional legends are present. The reverse exhibits the uneven casting finish typical of iron cash produced at multiple provincial mints during the Jingde reign period. |
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| Mint | Fengyuan Mint (丰远监), Jiazhou (Jiading-du), modern-day Leshan, Sichuan, China; Huimin Mint (惠民监), Qiongzhou, modern-day Qionglai, Sichuan, China; Jizhong Mint (济众监), Xingzhou, modern-day Lüeyang, Shaanxi, China; Meizhou Mint (眉州钱监), modern-day Meishan, Sichuan, China; Old Yidu Mint (益都旧监), Chengdu-fu, modern-day Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Shaoxing Mint (绍兴监), Lizhou, modern-day Guangyuan, Sichuan, China; Taiyuan-fu, modern-day Taiyuan, Shanxi, China; Yazhou, modern-day Ya`an, Sichuan, China |
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| Additional information |
The Jingde reign period lasted just four years under Emperor Zhenzong, but its iron cash represent something more administratively interesting than mere filler coinage. Copper shortages throughout the Northern Song forced regional authorities to authorize iron as a substitute casting metal, particularly in inland provinces where copper supply chains were unreliable. Iron cash circulated at a discount to copper equivalents, a disparity that created persistent arbitrage problems the court never fully resolved.
Casting quality varies sharply by foundry, and Hartill 16.50 specimens from northern provincial sources tend toward rougher flan preparation than those attributable to more centrally supervised operations.