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Fractional cash - Zhiyuan Tongbao, 'Phags-pa script, temple coin
| Issuer | Imperial Mint of the Yuan Dynasty |
|---|---|
| Year | 1285-1294 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Cash (621-1912) |
| 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 |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | 'Phags-pa |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Plain, uninscribed reverse field surrounding the central square perforation, with no decorative elements, rim ornamentation, or mint marks. The surface exhibits a slightly concave cast texture characteristic of Yuan dynasty fractional cash pieces, with natural patination and minor casting irregularities 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 | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Zhiyuan Tongbao fractional cash were issued under Kublai Khan as part of a broader monetary policy that increasingly favored paper currency — the jiaochao — over metal coinage. These small bronzes occupied an awkward position in that system, tolerated rather than promoted. The 'Phags-pa script used here was commissioned by Kublai directly from the Tibetan monk Drogön Chögyal Phagpa in 1269, intended as a universal script across the multilingual empire. It never achieved that ambition.
The "temple coin" designation reflects probable use as ritual or votive objects rather than everyday exchange — consistent with the surviving population, which shows minimal wear.