Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事!
Western Han
Jun Yi Hou Wang Wu Zhu
西漢
君宜侯王五銖
Item number: A1136
Year: 118 BC-AD 9
Material: Bronze
Size: 22.8 x 22.5 x 1.2 mm
Weight: 3.55 g
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is a bronze charm coin from the Western Han Dynasty, modelled after the commonly circulated Wu Zhu coins of the period. The coin has a typical square-hole shape. On the obverse, the characters “Wu Zhu” are engraved in seal script on the right and left sides. The top side features the horizontal inscription “May You Be Suitable” (君宜), and the bottom side has “Duke and King” (侯王).
The combined inscriptions on the top and bottom sides form the auspicious phrase “May You Be Suitable as Duke and King” (君宜侯王), which conveys a wish for success in officialdom.
The reverse side of the coin is plain, with no text or design. The inner square hole is notably larger and more expansive.
The Chinese numismatic charm originated in the Western Han period and was primarily used for gifting, celebrations, offerings, wearing, collecting, divination, and funerals. In addition to common bronze materials, the royal and noble classes also used precious materials such as gold, silver, jade, and ivory for these charms. After evolving through different dynasties, Chinese numismatic charms gradually departed from simply imitating the appearance of circulating currency coins during the Western Han period. They developed designs that included hollowing out and even moved away from the square hole coin type.
During the Northern Song period, the numismatist Li Xiaomei referred to flower-shaped coins as “Yansheng Coins” in his work “Illustrated Catalogue.” This term originates from Wang Mang’s attempt to suppress rebellions by casting a type of object known as “Weidou,” seeking to suppress the rebellious forces. In ancient China, the characters “Ya/Yan”(壓/厭) were interchangeable, both implying the use of incantations to suppress opponents in hopes of achieving victory, reflecting a form of superstition. Although Wang Mang ultimately failed to quell the rebellious forces, this term persisted and became a distinctive feature of Chinese numismatics.