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Pointed-tip knife Anepigraphic
| Issuer | Yan, State of |
|---|---|
| Year | 601 BC - 400 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Knife money (601-400 BC) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Completely plain anepigraphic reverse, devoid of any inscription, symbol, or decorative motif. The reverse mirrors the obverse in overall knife form, with the broad curved blade, sharply pointed tip, angular dorsal ridge, and narrow handle culminating in the characteristic terminal ring. The cast bronze surface shows areas of green and brown patination consistent with prolonged burial, and faint casting seam lines may be observed along the edges, reflecting the piece-mold casting technique standard to Zhou-period bronze currency. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Yan was among the northernmost of the Warring States-era kingdoms, pressed against steppe frontiers and culturally distinct from the central Zhou polities. Its knife money tradition drew directly from actual utility blades used in trade along those northern and northeastern corridors, where knives functioned as a recognized medium of exchange long before the state formalized the type. The anepigraphic examples — carrying no inscription — are generally considered among the earliest issues of the series, predating the later inscribed knives that identified specific towns or denominations.
The pointed tip distinguishes these from the later Ming knife types produced by Qi and others.