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1 Cash - Mingdao Yuanbao, Regular script
| Issuer | Empire of China |
|---|---|
| Year | 1032-1033 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round with a square hole |
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| Obverse description | Cast bronze cash coin of the Northern Song dynasty, featuring four Chinese ideograms in regular script (kaishu) arranged in clockwise reading order around a central square hole. The legend reads 明道元寶 (Mingdao Yuanbao), with 明 (Ming) at the top, 元 (Yuan) to the right, 寶 (Bao) at the bottom, and 道 (Dao) to the left. The characters are raised in low relief against a flat field, with a plain raised rim encircling the outer edge and a squared inner rim bordering the central perforation. The coin displays the characteristic casting style of Northern Song imperial mints, with the brushstroke forms of the kaishu script rendered faithfully in metal. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Plain and uninscribed reverse, as is typical of uniface Song dynasty cash coinage. The flat field is bounded by a raised outer rim and a squared inner rim surrounding the central square perforation, with no marks, symbols, or legends present. Surface shows characteristic bronze patina consistent with cast Song coinage. |
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| Additional information |
Mingdao was a reign title used by Emperor Renzong of the Song dynasty for exactly two years before he abandoned it — a remarkably short period that directly constrains the production window for this cash. Renzong ruled for over four decades, the longest reign of any Song emperor, yet issued numerous short-lived reign titles, each requiring a fresh coinage. The Mingdao series in regular script is among the more straightforward of his issues, without the controversial clerical or seal script variants that generate premium collector interest in adjacent types.