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25 Cash - Wang Mang Fifth reform
| Issuer | Xin Dynasty (Wang Mang) |
|---|---|
| Year | 14-23 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Zhu (fifth reform, 14-40) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Plain reverse of spade-shaped cast bronze coin, exhibiting the characteristic bifurcated foot and squared shoulders of the bu spade form. A single vertical ridge or seam line runs centrally down the length of the reverse field, an artifact of the two-piece clay mold casting process employed during the Xin Dynasty. The circular hole at the top of the handle is visible in relief. The surface is unadorned, carrying no inscriptions or additional devices, and displays typical green-grey patination consistent with ancient burial or long-term oxidation. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Wang Mang's monetary reforms were among the most ambitious and catastrophically received in Chinese history. His fifth and final reform, issued after 14 AD, was part of a broader attempt to restructure the economy through an elaborate multi-denomination bronze coinage — a system so complex and so frequently changed that merchants and the public largely refused to use it. Hoarding of the older Han wu zhu became widespread, punishable by enslavement under Mang's edicts.
The dynasty collapsed in 23 AD when Liu Xiu's forces retook the capital. Most of Mang's currency was demonetized almost immediately.