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Western Han Dynasty
Wu Zhu Terracotta Model Mould
西漢
五銖錢 赤陶範模
Item number: A180
Year: 113 BC-AD 9
Material: Terracotta
Size: 112.66 x 106.34 mm / thick: 25.4-30.0 mm
Weight: 450.8 g
Provenance: Heritage Auctions 2023
This artefact is a terracotta model mould of Wu Zhu coins from the Western Han Dynasty, which was used in the production of moulds of Wu Zhu coins.
The term “money mould(錢範)” referred to various moulds and templates used in the casting of coins, which can be divided into three categories: ancestral moulds, model moulds, and casting moulds, each representing different stages of the production process. The “ancestral mould” was the first step in making moulds, usually made of materials such as wood, stone, or clay that are easy to carve, with the inscriptions in a reverse seal script form. The “model mould” was cast or made from the ancestral mould, and can be made of materials such as copper, clay, or lead, with the inscriptions in a regular seal script form. The “casting mould” referred to the mould directly used for casting coins, which could be directly carved or cast from the model mould, and could be made of materials such as stone, clay, or copper, with the inscriptions in a reverse seal script form.
The inscriptions on the shown object is in a regular seal script form, therefore belonging to the category of model mould, utilised in the production of casting moulds.
Wu Zhu coins are the most numerous and longest circulating currency in the history of Chinese coinage. First minted in the fifth year of Yuanshou of Emperor Wu (118 BC), they were subsequently minted in the Eastern Han, Shu Han, Wei, Jin, Southern Qi, Liang, Chen, Northern Wei, and Sui Dynasties, with no fixed standards regarding weight, size, or shape. Official circulation was formally abolished by the Tang Dynasty in the fourth year of the Wude era (AD 621), yet the old Wu Zhu coins continued to circulate widely among the populace.The emergence of this currency gradually stabilised the previously chaotic monetary system of the Western Han Dynasty, remaining in circulation for over seven hundred years. It stands as a significant milestone in the history of Chinese currency.
In response to the phenomenon of inflation, the need to stabilise prices, and to address monetary issues, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty implemented six successive reforms. During the fourth reform in the year 113 BCE (Yuan Shou 5th year), he replaced the existing San (three)zhu coins with Wu zhu coins and explicitly prohibited the circulation of half-ounce coins. These new Wu zhu coins, known as “Jun Guo Wu Zhu” (郡國五銖), were minted by various commanderies and kingdoms according to regulations set by the central government. However, due to disparities in technological proficiency and issues such as official corruption leading to private minting, the quality of these currencies became unstable. Consequently, discrepancies between nominal value and legal weight gradually emerged.
The issue of private minting remained a significant impediment to economic development during the Western Han Dynasty. Privately minted coins became increasingly debased, and their quantity proliferated over time, exacerbating the problem of inflation and causing hardship among the populace. To address this dilemma, Emperor Wu of Han introduced the fifth reform in the second year of the Yuanding era (104 BCE). This reform introduced a new currency called “Chi Ze Wu Zhu” (赤仄五銖), aiming to replace five local commandery coins with a single unit of the new currency. However, this new monetary system also attracted private and counterfeit minters, undermining the intended effects of the reform.
In the year 113 BCE, during the fourth year of the Yuanding era, Emperor Wu of Han once again initiated reforms, declaring, “All commanderies and kingdoms are strictly prohibited from minting coins. The exclusive authority to mint coins is granted to the three officials of Shanglin.” The three officials referred to here are Zhongguan, Biantong, and Junshu, which constituted the central minting institution. Under this decree, only coins minted by these three officials were permitted to circulate, and all previously minted coins from commanderies and kingdoms were ordered to be withdrawn from circulation.
The coins issued during this reform were known as “San Guan Wu Zhu” (三官五銖), as they were minted by the three aforementioned officials. Due to the higher costs associated with counterfeiting and the centralised control over minting and issuance, this reform effectively addressed the issues of private minting and monetary disorder. Consequently, the currency reform achieved significant success.