5 Cash - Jiading Tongbao, Zhe, iron

The Jiading Tongbao series was issued under Emperor Ningzong of the Southern Song dynasty, a reign defined by persistent military pressure from the Jurchen Jin dynasty to the north. Iron coinage expanded dramatically during the Southern Song as copper was diverted toward military logistics and hoarded out of circulation. The Zhe mint, operating in Zhejiang province, was among the more prolific regional iron cash producers of this period.

Hartill 17.613 is a five-cash denomination — larger flans from this mint show considerable casting variation, and genuine examples frequently carry slag inclusions inherent to Song-era iron founding.