Shaoding was the reign title of Emperor Lizong of the Southern Song dynasty, who took the throne in 1224 under circumstances that remain contested — his predecessor Ningzong died without a clear heir, and the powerful minister Shi Miyuan is widely believed to have forged the succession documents that placed Lizong on the throne. The Shaoding era itself coincided with mounting Mongol pressure on the northern frontier, with the Jin dynasty collapsing under Ögedei Khan's campaigns during precisely these mint years.
Southern Song cash coinage of this period was produced at multiple furnaces across the Jiangnan region, and the Shaoding series is known to exist in both iron and bronze, the iron issues being considerably more common — bronze survivors in decent condition are the exception.
Shaoding was the reign title of Emperor Lizong of the Southern Song dynasty, who took the throne in 1224 under circumstances that remain contested — his predecessor Ningzong died without a clear heir, and the powerful minister Shi Miyuan is widely believed to have forged the succession documents that placed Lizong on the throne. The Shaoding era itself coincided with mounting Mongol pressure on the northern frontier, with the Jin dynasty collapsing under Ögedei Khan's campaigns during precisely these mint years.
Southern Song cash coinage of this period was produced at multiple furnaces across the Jiangnan region, and the Shaoding series is known to exist in both iron and bronze, the iron issues being considerably more common — bronze survivors in decent condition are the exception.