Struck during the reign of Emperor Guangzong of the Southern Song, the Shaoxi era (1190–1194) saw iron cash production expand substantially across several furnace provinces as copper shortages — chronic throughout the Southern Song period — forced the court to maintain parallel iron currency systems in certain circuits. The "Chun" reverse mark indicates the Chunzhou mint in modern Sichuan, one of the more prolific iron-casting centers of the period.
The inclusion of a reign-year on the reverse is the detail that distinguishes this type from the more common dateless issues catalogued under the same era.
Struck during the reign of Emperor Guangzong of the Southern Song, the Shaoxi era (1190–1194) saw iron cash production expand substantially across several furnace provinces as copper shortages — chronic throughout the Southern Song period — forced the court to maintain parallel iron currency systems in certain circuits. The "Chun" reverse mark indicates the Chunzhou mint in modern Sichuan, one of the more prolific iron-casting centers of the period.
The inclusion of a reign-year on the reverse is the detail that distinguishes this type from the more common dateless issues catalogued under the same era.