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Jin Dynasty
Dading Tongbao
(Upward Shen)
金
大定通寶
(背上申)
Item number: A931
Year: AD 1179-1189
Material: Bronze
Size: 23.5 x 23.5 x 1.0 mm
Weight: 2.75 g
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This coin originates from the reign of Emperor Shizong of the Jin Dynasty, with historical records indicating it was first minted from AD 1179 to AD 1189.
The obverse of the coin is round with a square hole in the centre. The inscriptions “Dading Tongbao” (大定通寶) can still be discerned. The characters are written in regular script, with slender and vigorous strokes, resembling the Song Dynasty’s imitation Song style.
Typically, the reverse side of this coin is blank, but this particular coin features the character “申.” There are also coins with the character “酉” on the reverse, though they are rare.
Both “酉” and “申” are units of the Earthly Branches in the Chinese Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches system, which is a traditional method for recording time, dates, and years. The system pairs one Heavenly Stem with one Earthly Branch, representing a specific year.
Each cycle consists of sixty pairs, known as a sexagenary cycle, with the first pair being “甲子.” Completing one cycle, equivalent to sixty years, is referred to as a “jiazi” or “flower cycle.”(花甲)
Some experts believe that the characters “申” and “酉” denote specific years in the sexagenary cycle, corresponding to the 28th year of Dading (Wushen) and the 29th year of Dading (Jiyou).
Others experts suggest that because “申” and “酉” are associated with the element of metal in the Five Elements theory, they were considered auspicious symbols for the nation’s fortune.
“Dading” was the sole reign title used during Emperor Shizong’s reign, lasting for 29 years. The term “Dading” signifies the belief in the unification and stabilization of the empire following the conquest of the Song Dynasty by the Jin Dynasty.