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Half Cash - Ban Yuan
| Issuer | State of Western Zhou (Warring States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 350 BC - 220 BC |
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| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | Hartill#6.16, FD#376 |
| Obverse description | Flat cast bronze disk featuring a central round perforation, with two archaic Chinese characters in raised relief disposed to the left and right of the central hole. The characters, rendered in the seal script style characteristic of the Warring States period, read 'Ban Yuan' (半圜), meaning 'half circle' or 'half cash', and are cast with boldly modelled strokes against a smooth, unadorned field. The flan exhibits an irregular, slightly uneven surface consistent with sand-cast production of the era, with a dark olive-brown patina developed over millennia. No rim decoration or border is present; the outer edge is plain and gently rounded. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | 半圜 |
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| Additional information |
The Ban Yuan ("half round") issues of Western Zhou occupy a peculiar corner of Warring States coinage — this minor state, a diminished rump territory centered near modern Luoyang that the Zhou royal house retained after losing effective power, was issuing its own currency largely as a matter of political face. The casting quality across this type varies considerably, with many examples showing poorly filled rims and irregular flan preparation consistent with small-scale, undercapitalized production.
Western Zhou was extinguished by Qin in 256 BC, making any issue attributable to the later end of this date range almost certainly pre-conquest.