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1 Cash - Wang Mang Fifth reform
| Issuer | China (ancient) |
|---|---|
| Year | 23-40 |
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| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 18 mm |
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| Obverse description | Central square perforation surrounded by a raised square rim. To the left of the central hole, the Chinese character 泉 (Quan) is rendered in archaic seal script relief; to the right, the character 貨 (Huo) appears in the same style, the two characters reading from right to left as 貨泉 (Huo Quan, meaning 'wealth coin'). The inscriptions are positioned in the lateral fields flanking the inner square, with no rim legend. The flat outer field is plain and unadorned, bounded by a rounded rim, with the design executed in the shallow-relief casting technique typical of Xin dynasty coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Wang Mang's monetary reforms are among the most chaotic in Chinese history — he imposed five separate currency overhauls between 7 and 23 AD, each one destabilizing trade further as the population refused to adopt the new denominations. This piece belongs to the fifth and final reform, issued as his Xin dynasty was already collapsing under peasant revolt. The Red Eyebrow rebels sacked Chang'an in 23 AD and killed Wang Mang himself, meaning circulation of this type was catastrophically brief under legitimate authority.