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1 Cash - Taiping Tongbao
| Issuer | Northern Song Dynasty Imperial Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 976-989 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | 1.1 mm |
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| Obverse description | Cast bronze cash coin of standard Song Dynasty type, featuring a central square perforation (穿) surrounded by a raised inner rim. Four Chinese characters in clerical script (隸書) are arranged in cruciform fashion around the central hole, reading top-to-bottom then right-to-left: 太平通寶 (Tai Ping Tong Bao). The characters are rendered in a bold, well-formed clerical hand, set within a smooth, flat inner field, bounded by a slightly raised outer rim. The coin's surface shows the characteristic flat, broad flan typical of early Northern Song cash issues. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Plain, uniface reverse with no inscriptions, symbols, or decorative elements. The flat field is bounded by a raised inner rim encircling the central square perforation and a raised outer rim at the coin's periphery, both consistent with standard Northern Song Dynasty cast cash coinage practice. |
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| Additional information |
Issued under Emperor Taizong during the second reign period of the Northern Song, the Taiping Tongbao was the first coinage struck under his authority following the death of his brother Taizu in 976 — a succession that remains historically contested, with some sources suggesting foul play. Taizong moved quickly to establish legitimacy, and a new coinage was among the early administrative acts of his reign.
Hartill 16.16 represents the standard cast bronze issue, though multiple calligraphic variants exist across the series reflecting different casting workshops operating simultaneously under central mint authority.