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Ant-nose Money Xing
| Issuer | Chu, State of |
|---|---|
| Year | 400 BC - 220 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Ant-nose money (401-220 BC) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| 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 |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Plain, unadorned reverse with a smooth, slightly convex surface covered in characteristic ancient green and brown patina. No inscriptions, devices, or decorative elements are present. The casting seam and natural surface irregularities typical of Warring States period cast bronze currency are visible across the field. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Log in to see details |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | ND (400 BC - 220 BC) |
| Additional information |
Chu was the dominant southern state during the Warring States period, and its currency system diverged sharply from the bronze spade and knife money used by northern rivals. These cast pieces — named in modern parlance for the facial resemblance to an insect's head — bear a single graph that most scholars read as "bei," referencing the cowrie shells they effectively replaced in the Huai River valley economy. Chu never unified its coinage even within its own borders; ant-nose pieces circulated alongside gold "ying yuan" tablets, an arrangement unique among the major Warring States polities.