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Cowrie Bronze imitation
| Issuer | Zhou Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1046 BC - 221 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Bronze |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Mintage | ND (1046 BC - 221 BC) - One hole ND (1046 BC - 221 BC) - Slit (curvy) ND (1046 BC - 221 BC) - Slit (straight) |
| Additional information |
Cowrie shells served as the dominant exchange medium across Shang and early Zhou China, sourced primarily from the Indian Ocean and increasingly scarce as trade networks strained under Zhou territorial expansion. Bronze imitations emerged not as official policy but as a practical response to that shortage — privately cast at first, then absorbed into regional economies across the Central Plains. The Zhou realm was never a unified monetary authority, and these pieces reflect that fragmentation: casting quality and weight vary considerably by region and period.