5 Zhu 'Western Han' type, without top rim

The rimless variant catalogued by Hartill as 8.9 reflects a period of significant mint decentralization under the Western Han, when private and commandery-level casting still competed with imperial production despite repeated attempts by the central government to consolidate coin manufacture. Emperor Wu's currency reforms of 118 BC had established the five-zhu as the standard, but enforcement was uneven across a century-long span, and minor technical deviations — including the suppression of the top rim — appear to represent regional casting practice rather than deliberate policy. The date range alone spans the reigns of seven emperors.