Catalog
See full images - free registration
Continue with Google - no registration!
or register with email
Why register? Just to keep bots out of our catalog. Your email stays private - we will never share it or send you anything uninvited. We guarantee you that!
Ant-nose Money 'Ghost face' type, with upper line
| Issuer | Chu, State of |
|---|---|
| Year | 400 BC - 220 BC |
| 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 | 2.92 g |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Cast bronze uniface piece of oval, cowrie-shell form bearing a single archaic Chinese ideogram in raised relief centrally positioned within the field. The character 貝 (Bei, meaning 'shell') is rendered in a highly stylized, primitive script evoking a face-like configuration—commonly referred to as the 'ghost face' type—with curvilinear strokes suggesting eyes, nose, and mouth. A short horizontal line appears at the upper portion of the character, distinguishing this variety (Hartill 1.5) from related sub-types. The surface exhibits characteristic green and brown patination consistent with long burial, and the flan retains the irregular, hand-formed edges typical of cast Warring States currency derived from natural cowrie shell prototypes. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Chinese |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information | Log in to see details |