Item number: A1136

Year: 118 BC-AD 9

Material: Bronze

Size: 22.8 x 22.5 x 1.2 mm

Weight: 3.55 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a bronze charm coin from the Western Han Dynasty, modelled after the commonly circulated Wu Zhu coins of the period. The coin has a typical square-hole shape. On the obverse, the characters “Wu Zhu” are engraved in seal script on the right and left sides. The top side features the horizontal inscription “May You Be Suitable” (君宜), and the bottom side has “Duke and King” (侯王).

The combined inscriptions on the top and bottom sides form the auspicious phrase “May You Be Suitable as Duke and King” (君宜侯王), which conveys a wish for success in officialdom.

The reverse side of the coin is plain, with no text or design. The inner square hole is notably larger and more expansive.

The Chinese numismatic charm originated in the Western Han period and was primarily used for gifting, celebrations, offerings, wearing, collecting, divination, and funerals. In addition to common bronze materials, the royal and noble classes also used precious materials such as gold, silver, jade, and ivory for these charms. After evolving through different dynasties, Chinese numismatic charms gradually departed from simply imitating the appearance of circulating currency coins during the Western Han period. They developed designs that included hollowing out and even moved away from the square hole coin type.

During the Northern Song period, the numismatist Li Xiaomei referred to flower-shaped coins as “Yansheng Coins” in his work “Illustrated Catalogue.” This term originates from Wang Mang’s attempt to suppress rebellions by casting a type of object known as “Weidou,” seeking to suppress the rebellious forces. In ancient China, the characters “Ya/Yan”(壓/厭) were interchangeable, both implying the use of incantations to suppress opponents in hopes of achieving victory, reflecting a form of superstition. Although Wang Mang ultimately failed to quell the rebellious forces, this term persisted and became a distinctive feature of Chinese numismatics.

物件編號: A1136

年代: 公元前 118-公元 9 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 22.8 x 22.5 x 1.2 mm

重量: 3.55 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚鑄造於西漢時期，以當時流通的五銖錢硬幣為範本的花錢。錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢，材質為青銅。錢幣正面以篆書書法，分別在右左鐫刻「五銖」兩字；上側則是橫躺的「君宜」；下側為橫躺的「侯王」。

上下兩側的文字內容合併起來，即是祝福他人在官場上順遂的「君宜侯王」吉祥語。

錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何文字或圖案，其內廓的方框更為肥大。

花錢最早起源於西漢時期，主要用於餽贈、喜慶、供養、配戴、賞玩、占卜和喪葬等場合。除了常見的青銅原料外，皇室貴冑更會使用金銀、玉石和象牙等貴重原料。花錢歷經不同朝代的演變後，擺脫西漢時期仍大致仿效流通貨幣的外觀，逐漸發展出鏤空甚至跳脫方孔錢型制的設計。

北宋時期的錢幣學家李孝美在著作《圖譜》中，又將花錢稱作「厭勝錢」，典故是出自王莽為鎮壓各地的反抗勢力，曾鑄造一種叫「威鬥」的器物，祈求能夠「壓勝」反叛勢力。在中國古代「壓/厭」兩個字能互相通用，意指藉由咒語壓制對手，以祈求勝利的一種迷信。雖然王莽最終沒能「壓勝」反叛的力量，但是這個名詞卻被流傳下來，成為中國錢幣學的一個特色。