Item number: A780-2

Year: AD 1078-1085

Material: Bronze

Size: 24.9 x 25.0 x 1.4 mm

Weight: 3.85 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a “Yuanfeng Tongbao,” minted during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, the sixth emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty, using his second era name, “Yuanfeng.” Emperor Shenzong ruled for 18 years and adopted two era names during his reign.

The coin is a typical square-holed coin. On the obverse side, the characters “Yuanfeng Tongbao” are inscribed in running script, arranged in a clockwise order. The reverse side is blank, without any inscriptions or designs. “Yuanfeng Tongbao” coins are categorised into three script styles: clerical script, running script, and seal script, with a massive quantity of coins minted and a wide variety of types. Even within the same calligraphic script, there can still be subtle variations in the coin types. For example, the lower right stroke of the character “元” on this coin features a distinct hook.

Based on weight and size, these coins are further divided into two denominations: the “One-cash,” which weighs between 2.5 and 7.3 g and has a diameter of 22.9 to 26.5 mm, and the “Two-cash,” which weighs between 4.2 and 15 g and has a diameter of 27.1 to 35.5 mm.

In the early years of Emperor Shenzong Zhao Xu’s reign during the Northern Song Dynasty, he faced significant challenges, including an overstaffed bureaucracy and military, as well as the need for increased revenue to fund military campaigns. In response, Shenzong decided to support the reformist faction, known as the “New Policies” group, led by Wang Anshi. However, Wang Anshi’s series of rapid and sweeping reforms caused further domestic unrest and provoked strong opposition from the conservative faction, represented by Sima Guang.

In AD 1084, as Emperor Shenzong lay on his deathbed, he appointed Sima Guang from the conservative faction to serve as regent for the crown prince, effectively acknowledging the failure of Wang Anshi’s reforms. Nonetheless, the conflict between the reformist and conservative factions only intensified in the years that followed.

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: A780-2

年代: 公元 1078-1085 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 24.9 x 25.0 x 1.4 mm

重量: 3.85 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是北宋的第六任皇帝神宗，以其第二個年號鑄造的「元豐通寶」。神宗在位期間十八年，先後使用過兩個年號。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢。錢幣正面按順時針順序，依序以行書書法鐫刻「元豐通寶」四字。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何文字或圖案。元豐通寶按書法差異，分為隸書、行書和篆書三種版本，其鑄造數量極為龐大，版型也十分複雜。即便是相同書法字體，都還會有些許版型的差異。例如，這枚錢幣的「元」右下角筆劃有一個顯著的勾。

另外按照重量和尺寸的不同，再分為重量2.5至7.3克，直徑22.9至26.5公釐的「小平錢」；重量4.2至15克，直徑27.1至35.5公釐的「折二錢」兩種面額。

宋神宗趙頊登基初年，面對北宋國內官員和軍隊冗員眾多的問題，以及斂取更多財產以應付對外用兵的需求，決定重用以王安石為代表的新黨。然而王安石一連串的倉促改革，卻導致國內更大的動盪和司馬光為代表舊黨的反撲。公元1084年，宋神宗彌留之際，指定舊黨司馬光輔佐太子，等於承認王安石變法失敗，但新舊兩黨之間的衝突卻越演越烈。

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。