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1 Cash - Shaoxi Tongbao, Regular script, Chun, iron
| Issuer | Southern Song Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1191 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Cash |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Cast iron cash coin of round form with a central square hole. The obverse bears the four-character reign title inscription 紹熙通寶 (Shaoxi Tongbao) arranged in regular script (kaishu) reading top-to-bottom, right-to-left around the central perforation. The characters are cleanly rendered within a plain inner rim and an unadorned outer rim, with a flat, undecorated field. The casting is typical of Southern Song provincial iron coinage, with moderate relief and some surface patination consistent with age. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Chinese (traditional, regular script) |
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| Additional information |
The Shaoxi reign period (1190–1194) of Emperor Guangzong saw iron cash produced in substantial quantities as the Southern Song struggled to conserve copper for larger denominations and military bronze casting. Iron coinage was deeply unpopular in circulation — it rusted, it crumbled, and provincial populations frequently refused it at face value, forcing repeated imperial edicts demanding acceptance at par with copper.
The "Chun" furnace mark identifies the specific casting installation responsible for this piece, one of several supervised facilities operating under Southern Song mint administration in the Jiangnan region.