Item number: A903

Year: AD 1064-1067

Material: Bronze

Size: 24.2 x 24.1 x 0.9 mm

Weight: 2.7 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a “Zhiping Yuanbao” coin minted during the reign of Emperor Yingzong, the fifth emperor of the Northern Song Dynasty, using his era name. Emperor Yingzong ruled for only four years before passing away due to illness, resulting in the use of only one era name during his reign.

The coin follows the typical square-holed design. On the obverse side, the four Chinese characters “Zhiping Yuanbao” are inscribed in regular script in the clockwise order.

The reverse side of the coin is plain, without any inscriptions or designs. The “Zhiping Yuanbao” coins are classified by calligraphy into regular script and seal script versions.

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: A903

年代: 公元 1064-1067 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 24.2 x 24.1 x 0.9 mm

重量: 2.7 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是北宋的第五任皇帝英宗，以其年號鑄造的「治平元寶」。英宗在位期間僅有四年，便因病駕崩故只有使用過一個年號。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢。錢幣正面按順時針順序，依序以楷書書法鐫刻「治平元寶」四字。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何文字或圖案。治平元寶按照書法，分為楷書和篆書兩種版本。

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。