Item number: A795

Year: AD 1098-1100

Material: Bronze

Size: 30.8 x 30.8 x 1.6 mm

Weight: 6.95 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 seal script in a clockwise order. The reverse side of the coin is plain, with no inscriptions or designs, and is covered with a layer of green patina.

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.

物件編號: A795

年代: 公元 1098-1100 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 30.8 x 30.8 x 1.6 mm

重量: 6.95 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是北宋的第七位皇帝宋哲宗，以其使用的第三個年號鑄造的「元符通寶」。宋哲宗在位15年，先後使用過三個年號。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢。錢幣正面按順時針順序，依序以篆書書法鐫刻漢字「元符通寶」四字。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何文字或圖案，並且包裹著一層綠色包漿。

兩宋時期的錢幣以青銅為材料外，其特色尚有大規模的鐵幣流通，為其他朝代少見的現象。之所以如此，一來是國內的銅礦資源缺乏；二來是防止銅錢流入競爭對手，諸如西夏、遼和金等北方政權，使得兩宋朝廷先是鑄造鐵錢，後來更出現紙幣雛形的「交子、會子」作為貨幣。