Catalog
5 Zhu 'Western Han' type, with top rim
| Issuer | Western Han Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 113 BC - 9 AD |
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| Diameter | 24 mm |
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| Obverse description | Central square perforation surrounded by a raised inner rim, with the two-character inscription 五銖 (Wu Zhu) reading right to left across the central hole, the character 五 (five) appearing to the right and 銖 (zhu) to the left. A distinctive raised rim (top rim) borders the upper edge of the coin, a diagnostic feature of this Western Han type. The characters are rendered in the clerical script style typical of Han dynasty coinage, cast in moderate relief against a flat field. The coin displays the characteristic patina and surface texture consistent with ancient cast bronze production. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The 5 zhu (wuzhu) became the backbone of Han monetary policy after Emperor Wu standardized its production in 118 BC, stripping coinage rights from regional lords who had exploited earlier decentralization to flood markets with underweight issues. The top rim variant — a raised lip on the obverse upper edge — is thought to reflect a specific workshop convention rather than a policy change, and its presence has been used by scholars to attribute pieces to particular casting periods within the long wuzhu sequence.
The type survived virtually unchanged through Wang Mang's interregnum, though Wang Mang officially abolished it in 7 AD in favor of his antiquarian currency reforms — themselves a catastrophic failure that contributed to his dynasty's collapse by 23 AD.