© Ollisaarinen (CC BY)
© Ollisaarinen (CC BY)
1 Cash - Wang Mang Fifth reform; "Spade coin"
| Bronze | 3.42 g | 26 mm |
| Issuer | China (ancient) |
|---|---|
| Emperor | Xin dynasty › Wang Mang (7-23) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 14-23 |
| Value | 1 Cash |
| Currency | Zhu (fifth reform, 14-40) |
| Composition | Bronze |
| Weight | 3.42 g |
| Diameter | 26 mm |
| Thickness | 1.5 mm |
| Shape | Round with a square hole |
| Technique | Cast |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-09 |
| Numista | N#177038 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 89% |
Reverse
Blank (uniface).
Edge
Plain
Comment
An example with a centred blob (Hartill#9.72):© Fred Cherrygarden
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about the Wang Mang "Spade coin" is that it was the first coin in ancient China to feature a square hole in the center, which was a departure from the traditional round hole found in earlier coins. This design change was meant to make the coins easier to stack and store, and it became a distinctive feature of Wang Mang's currency reforms.
