5 Zhu 'Eastern Han', double Wu

The "double Wu" variety takes its name from a die anomaly in which the character 五 (wǔ, "five") appears twice on the same face — a minting error that occurred sporadically across multiple Eastern Han workshops operating with diminishing imperial oversight. By the late second century, central control over cash coin production had effectively collapsed, with regional warlords, local administrators, and private casters all striking to varying standards. The resulting coinage is typologically chaotic, and attributing specific pieces to individual mints remains largely guesswork.

Hartill 10.45 sits near the end of a dynasty that would formally dissolve into the Three Kingdoms period by 220 AD.