Item number: A240

Year: AD 189-214

Material: Bronze

Size: 21.0 x 21.0 x 1.3 mm

Weight: 2.3 g

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2022

This is a bronze coin known as the “Shu Wu Zhu,” minted by Liu Yan and his son Liu Zhang, who ruled over the Sichuan Basin with the title of Governor of Yizhou during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, between the years of Zhongping 6 to Jian’an 19 (AD 189-214). The coin has a diameter of 21 mm and weighs around 2 g. The inscription “Wu Zhu” on the obverse side does not align closely with the inner and outer rims, while the reverse side lacks any inscription.

During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, while the central government minted currency under the reign of Emperor Ling and the domination of Dong Zhuo, local warlords in some regions also independently imitated the Wu Zhu coinage system to mint their own coins. The rugged terrain of the Sichuan Basin suffered less from the ravages of war, allowing Liu Zhang and his father to mint stable-quality currency.

In AD 214, faced with the threat of Zhang Lu from the neighbouring region, Liu Zhang invited Liu Bei to help quell the rebellion. However, Liu Bei took advantage of the situation and seized control of Yizhou, even allowing his soldiers to loot Chengdu to boost morale. From then on, Yizhou became the stronghold of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. Liu Bei, in order to raise funds to compete with Eastern Wu and Cao Wei, issued a large amount of debased currency in the region to plunder civilian wealth.

After Liu Bei’s death, Zhuge Liang, a highly praised chancellor in historical records, assisted the later ruler and issued the “Taiping Baiqian,” coins weighing less than 1 g, to raise military funds. At that time, Shu Han had only 940,000 population, yet it had to bear the heavy burden of 40,000 officials and a 100,000-strong army. Ultimately, in AD 263, the weakest Shu Han was annexed by Cao Wei, thus fading into history.

物件編號: A240

年代: 公元 189-214 年

材料: 青銅

尺寸: 21.0 x 21.0 x 1.3 mm

重量: 2.3 g

來源: 福君錢幣 2022

這是一枚東漢末年，於中平6年至建安19年(公元 189 年-公元 214 年)之間，以益州牧身分統治四川盆地的劉焉、劉璋父子鑄造之「蜀五銖」銅錢。錢幣的直徑為21釐米，重量落在2克左右。正面的錢文「五銖」不緊貼內廓和外廓，背面則沒有任何錢文。

東漢末年，中央朝廷在漢靈帝和董卓攬權時曾鑄造貨幣外，些許佔據地方的豪強亦有自行仿效五銖錢型制鑄幣。地勢險峻的四川盆地受到戰火波及較少，故盤據於此的劉璋父子尚能鑄造品質穩定的貨幣。

然而公元214年，劉璋面對比鄰的張魯威脅下邀請劉備平叛，劉備卻趁勢佔據益州，甚至縱容士兵搶劫成都以鼓舞士氣。自此益州成為三國時期蜀漢的根據地，劉備為籌得跟東吳和曹魏競爭的軍費，於當地發行大量的虛值大錢掠奪民間財物。

劉備死後，輔佐後主並在史書備受讚譽的顧命大臣諸葛亮，發行重量僅不到1克的「太平百錢」籌措軍費。彼時蜀漢全國僅有九十四萬人，卻要負擔官吏四萬人和十萬大軍的沉重負擔。最終公元263年，實力最為弱小的蜀漢被曹魏併吞走入歷史。