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!
Northern Song Dynasty
Yuanfu Tongbao
(Running Script Version 1)
北宋
元符通寶
(行書一版)
Item number: A775
Year: AD 1098-1100
Material: Bronze
Size: 24.6 x 24.5 x 1.3 mm
Weight: 4.0 g
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is a “Yuanfu Tongbao” coin minted under the reign of Emperor Zhezong, the seventh emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty, using his third era name. Emperor Zhezong reigned for 15 years and adopted a total of three era names during his rule.
The coin has the typical square-holed design. On the obverse side, the characters “Yuanfu Tongbao” (元符通寶) are inscribed in running script in a clockwise order. The reverse side is plain, with no inscriptions or designs.
During the Song Dynasty, in addition to bronze coins, one notable feature was the widespread circulation of iron coins, a phenomenon rarely seen in other dynasties. This practise arose primarily for two reasons: first, the domestic shortage of copper resources; and second, the need to prevent copper coins from flowing into the hands of northern rival states, such as the Western Xia, Liao, and Jin. As a result, the Song court initially began minting iron coins, and later introduced early forms of paper money, such as Jiaozi and Huizi, as alternative currency.