Item number: A861

Year: AD 1158

Material: Bronze

Size: 24.8 x 24.8 x 1.2 mm

Weight: 3.35 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a reign title coin from the Jin Dynasty. The coin is round with a square hole in the centre. The obverse side of the coin reads “Zhenglong Yuanbao” in a clockwise direction in regular script. Notably, the last two strokes of the character “Zheng” are written as a single stroke with a clear right-angle corner.

The reverse side of the coin has no inscription or denomination.

Zhenglong was the reign title of Emperor Wanyan Liang, the fourth emperor of the Jin Dynasty. After the establishment of the Jin Dynasty, coins were initially not minted, and old coins from the Liao and Song Dynasties were used, along with the paper currency known as “Jiao Chao.”

In the third year of Zhenglong (AD 1158), coins were minted for the first time, bearing the reign title “Zhenglong Yuanbao.”

Emperor Wanyan Liang, also known as Emperor Hailing, was the grandson of Jin Taizu Wanyan Aguda. He ascended the throne after assassinating his elder brother, Emperor Xizong of Jin. Upon gaining the throne, Wanyan Liang began a large-scale massacre of the imperial family to eliminate all potential rivals, which led to political instability and public unrest.

Subsequently, Wanyan Liang launched a campaign against the Song Dynasty and killed his stepmother, who opposed the campaign. During the campaign against the Song, Wanyan Liang faced a rebellion led by Wanyan Yong, who was also a grandson of Wanyan Aguda. Surrounded by betrayal and with the tide turning against him, Wanyan Liang was ultimately defeated and killed.

After his death, Wanyan Liang was posthumously demoted by the new emperor, Emperor Shizong Wanyan Yong, to the title of “Prince of Hailing” and reduced to commoner status.

In later historical accounts, he has often been heavily criticised.

物件編號: A861

年代: 公元 1158 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 24.8 x 24.8 x 1.2 mm

重量: 3.35 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚出自金朝的年號錢。該錢幣正面為圓形，方形穿孔，錢幣文字依順時針方向讀為「正隆元寶」四字，字體則為楷書。特別的是，正字的最後兩筆連寫成一筆，筆畫清晰，呈九十度直角。該錢幣背面則無文字或面額。

正隆為金朝第四任皇帝—完顏亮的年號。金朝建國後，最初並無鑄錢，而是使用遼、宋的舊錢，以及紙幣「交鈔」。正隆3年（公元1158）首次鑄行錢幣，以「正隆」為年號，「正隆元寶」由此誕生。

金廢帝完顏亮，是金太祖完顏阿骨打之庶孫，他謀殺其兄長金熙宗後登基。得到帝位之後，完顏亮開始大肆屠戮宗室，將所有潛在皇位競爭者殺害，此舉使朝局不安、人心不穩。

金廢帝完顏亮，是金太祖完顏阿骨打之庶孫，他謀殺其兄長金熙宗後登基。得到帝位之後，完顏亮開始大肆屠戮宗室，將所有潛在皇位競爭者殺害，此舉使朝局不安、人心不穩。

此後，完顏亮舉兵攻宋，並且將主張反對攻宋的嫡母殺害。在攻宋的過程中，完顏亮遭同為完顏阿骨打之孫的完顏雍兵變，他在形勢一片倒戈之下，最終眾叛親離，兵敗身死。

身死後，完顏亮被新任皇帝—金世宗完顏雍降封為「海陵王」，並被貶為庶人，在後世，亦多飽受批評。