Item number: A348

Year: 118 BC-AD 9

Material: Bronze

Size: 25.1 x 25.1 x 1.2 mm

Weight: 2.85 g

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2024

This coin is a “Wu Zhu” from the Western Han Dynasty, minted between 118 BC and AD 9. Its weight of only 2.85 grams is significantly below the standard set during Emperor Wu’s reign, which ranged from 3.5 to 4 grams and was regulated by the Shanglin Three Offices bureau. Therefore, it is highly likely that this coin was produced by a later successor or was privately minted at the local level.

The coin has the typical appearance of a square-holed coin, featuring an outer rim that protects the inscriptions, an inner rim with engraved inscriptions, and a central square hole.

On the obverse side of the coin, the inner rim has the characters “Wu Zhu” inscribed in seal script on either side. Additionally, there is a smaller character “Ten” above the main inscription, indicating that this coin was likely not produced according to central government standards. The reverse side of the coin lacks inscriptions and has suffered significant corrosion.

In 206 BCE, when Liu Bang founded the Western Han Dynasty, the “Ban Liang” currency system established by Qin Shi Huang continued to be used. It was not until the 5th year of Emperor Wu of Han’s Yuan Shou era (118 BC) that the “Wu Zhu” were introduced as a new currency. In the 4th year of the Yuan Ding era (113 BC), the central government reclaimed the minting rights from regional and state authorities, permitting only the “Shanglin Three Offices” under central control to produce coins. Thereafter, the denomination, weight, and appearance of the Wu Zhu coins were standardised, remaining in use until the 4th year of Emperor Gaozu of Tang’s Wude era (AD 621), when a new currency system was introduced. The Wu Zhu coin had an indelible impact on the ancient Chinese economic society.

物件編號: A348

年代: 公元前 118- 公元 9 年

材料: 青銅

尺寸: 25.1 x 25.1 x 1.2 mm

重量: 2.85 g

來源: 福君錢幣 2024

這是一枚西漢時期(公元前118至公元9年)鑄造的五銖錢，該枚五銖錢僅有2.85克，遠小於漢武帝時期以「上林三官」為負責單位制定之3.5至4克的標準，因此極可能是由後續的繼承者或地方私下鑄造。

外觀為典型的方孔錢，具有保護銘文的一圈外廓、鐫刻銘文的內廓和中央的方孔等部位。錢幣正面的內廓左右兩側，分別鐫刻篆書字體「五銖」兩字。除此之外，錢幣上方還有一個字體稍小的「十」字樣，應證這應該不是按中央標準生產的版型。錢幣背面則沒有銘文，並且受到較為嚴重的鏽蝕。

公元前206年，劉邦成立西漢之際仍持續沿用秦始皇制定的「半兩」制度。直到漢武帝時期的元狩5年(公元前118)，首次推出五銖錢作為新貨幣，並且在元鼎4年(公元前113年)收回地方郡國的鑄幣權，僅允許中央管轄的「上林三官」負責生產。此後五銖錢的面額、重量和外觀便固定下來，持續使用到唐高祖武德4年(公元621年)，方才以新的貨幣系統替代。五銖錢對於中國上古經濟社會，可以說留下不可抹滅的影響。