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50 Zhu - Yuan Wu Zhu, 'Two pillar' type
| Issuer | Southern dynasties |
|---|---|
| Year | 552 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Plain, unadorned reverse with a central square perforation surrounded by a raised square border. The broad field is entirely blank with no legends, symbols, or decorative elements, consistent with standard Southern Dynasties Wu Zhu coinage practice. The surface shows a typical patina and casting texture characteristic of mid-sixth century Chinese bronze coins. The rim is slightly raised and even. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The "Two pillar" Wu Zhu was issued under Emperor Yuan of the Liang dynasty following the catastrophic An Lushan-style collapse triggered by Hou Jing's rebellion, which had already gutted the dynasty's administrative and economic infrastructure by 548. Casting a coin nominally valued at fifty times a standard Wu Zhu was less an economic policy than a fiscal emergency measure — the Liang court lacked the resources to mint adequate quantities of properly weighted coinage and used inflated denominations to paper over the shortfall.
The two internal pillars bridging rim to central hole are the diagnostic feature Hartill uses to distinguish this type from related issues of the period.