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5 Zhu - Ming Di Kingdom of Wei, Coarse Characters
| Issuer | Cao Wei, State of |
|---|---|
| Year | 227-239 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.18 g |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Central square hole flanked by two large, boldly rendered Chinese characters in coarse clerical script, reading 五銖 (Wu Zhu, '5 Zhu'). The character 銖 appears to the left of the hole and 五 to the right, both occupying the full height of the inner field. The characters are rendered in a deliberately thick, unrefined style characteristic of the coarse-character variety issued during the reign of Ming Di of Cao Wei. The coin is encircled by a plain raised rim, with no inner rim or additional decorative elements in the field. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Cao Wei resumed copper cash coinage under Ming Di after a prolonged gap — his predecessor Wen Di had briefly abolished coin money in 221 in favor of grain and silk as exchange media, a policy that proved unworkable and was reversed within a year. The "coarse characters" designation distinguishes this type from finer-script contemporaries by the visibly broad, roughly cut calligraphy of the inscription, a feature that likely reflects decentralized or expedient casting rather than a deliberate aesthetic choice.