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1 Cash - Zhuguo Yuanbao
| Issuer | Liao dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 916-1120 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | 22 mm |
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| Obverse description | Round cast bronze coin with a central square perforation surrounded by a raised square rim. Four Chinese characters in regular script (kaishu) are arranged in cruciform fashion around the central hole, reading top-to-bottom and right-to-left: 助國元寶 (Zhuguo Yuanbao). The characters are boldly rendered in relief against a flat field, with an outer raised rim encircling the entire obverse. The coin displays an even patina consistent with age, characteristic of Liao dynasty cast coinage. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Zhuguo Yuanbao is among the more obscure issues of the Liao, a Khitan-ruled dynasty that operated a monetary system only partially integrated with that of the Song to the south. The Khitan elite maintained a semi-nomadic administrative structure, and coin use was uneven across the empire — concentrated in settled agricultural zones rather than among pastoral populations. Many Liao cash issues circulated in geographically limited areas and were supplemented by barter and silk as exchange media.
Hartill 18.27 is not attributed to a specific reign with certainty, which is characteristic of Liao numismatics generally — imperial attribution remains contested for several types in this series.