Item number: A1258

Year: 410-332 BC

Material: Bronze

Size: 40.7 x 26.4 x 1.8 mm

Weight: 5.65 g

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2016

This is a “Yin Jin Half Qin Spade Money” (陰晉半釿布幣) minted by the Wei state during the Warring States period. The spade money has a flat, unbordered shape, with the inscription “陰晉半釿” on the front side and a blank reverse. It belongs to the “釿布” category of Spade money. The spade money ‘s lower square foot and curved shape resemble an arch, so it is also referred to as “Qiao Zu Bu” (橋足布), meaning “bridge-foot Spade Money.”

The character “釿” represents a unit of weight used for calculating the currency’s weight as well as its value. “半釿” indicates the spade money ‘s value as half a “釿”. “陰晉” refers to the region located in present-day Hua Yin city, Shaanxi Province. Before being annexed by the Qin state in 332 BC, it was part of the Wei state. After the Qin conquest, the region was renamed “Ning Qin.” Therefore, scholars speculate that the “Yin Jin Ban Jin Bu Bi” was minted before 332 BC.

The “Spade Money” is a type of metal coin modelled after spade-shaped agricultural tools, and it is referred to in historical records as “鎛” (Bo) or the homophone “布” (Bu). As the first metal currency in Chinese history, spade money can often be found in the logos of financial departments and banking institutions in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Spade money developed from the late Shang Dynasty to the Warring States period, with the core region being the Three Jin States (Han, Zhao, Wei). Over time, it evolved into various forms. One of the key features of the Wei currency was the coin stamped with the character “釿” (Qin).

物件編號: A1258

年代: 公元前 410-332 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 40.7 x 26.4 x 1.8 mm

重量: 5.65 g

來源: 大城郵幣社 2016

這是戰國時期由魏國所鑄造的「陰晉半釿布幣」，其外型平間無廓，面文「陰晉半釿」，背面無字，屬於布幣當中的「釿布」，此種貨幣下方的方足和弧形構成了類似橋洞的形狀，因而也被稱作「橋足布」。

「釿」是當時計算貨幣重量的單位，亦是計算貨幣本身價值的單位，而「半釿」即為此貨幣的幣值。「陰晉」則位在今日的陝西省華陰市，在被秦國於西元前332年吞併之前屬於魏國，秦國併吞此處後便將本地改名為「寧秦」，因此學者推測「陰晉半釿布幣」其鑄造時間早於西元前332年。

布幣是仿造鏟形農具的金屬錢幣，史書上寫作「鎛」或同音字「布」。由於布幣是中國歷史上第一種金屬貨幣，經常能在中國、香港和臺灣等地的財政部門和銀行機構標誌裡發現布幣。布幣從商朝末期發展到戰國時代，以三晉地區(韓、趙、魏)為核心已延伸出多種形態，其中書有「釿」字之布幣為魏國貨幣的一大特徵。