User:Donald Trung/Wu Zhu cash coins on Wikimedia Commons
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This is a list of Wu Zhu cash coins on Wikimedia Commons to document which varieties are and aren't covered on Wikimedia Commons. --Donald Trung 『徵國單』 (No Fake News 💬) (WikiProject Numismatics 💴) (Articles 📚) 20:03, 4 September 2018 (UTC)
Wu Zhu cash coins on Wikimedia Commons
[edit]Almost nine hundred different types and over eighteen hundred varieties of Wu Zhu cash coins and Wu Zhu derivatives are known to exist.
List of variants of Wu Zhu cash coins on Wikimedia Commons:
| Variants of Wu Zhu (五銖) cash coins | |
| Variant | Image |
|---|---|
| Jun Guo Wu Zhu () (118–115 BC) is a large and heavy coin, with the edges not filed. Sometimes has a rimless reverse. Taken to be the earliest Wu Zhu. According to the History of Han, in 118 BC the Commanderies (Jun) and Principalities (Guo) were ordered to cast 5 zhu coins with a circular rim so that it would be impossible to clip them to glean a bit of copper. | |
| Chi Ze Wu Zhu () (115–113 BC) is a lighter coin than the above, with filed edges. The Han records state that in 115 BC the mints in the capital were requested to cast Chi Ze coins, with one being worth five local coins. Only these were to circulate. Chi Ze means Red (or Shining) Edge, referring to the red copper showing when the edges were filed smooth. Some examples of this coin were found from the tomb of Liu Sheng, Prince of Zhongshan, who died in 113 BC. | |
| Shang Lin San Guan Wu Zhu () (From 113 BC) refers to the Three Offices of Shang Lin Park which were the Office for Coinage, the Office for Sorting Copper, and the Office of Price Equalisation. Minting was now confined to the central authorities. These coins usually have a raised rim on the top of the hole on the obverse. Their quality was so high that forgery became unprofitable except to true artisans, great villains, or thieves. All earlier coins were to be melted down and the copper taken to Shang Lin. | 
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| Wu Zhu Coins (AD 25). Even after the end of the Wang Mang regime (see below), the coinage system remained in disarray. Cloth, silk and grain were used as money along with coins. However, cash was the normal measure of wealth and was used in large quantities. When Yang Ping (92–195) was in economic difficulties, he was offered a gift of one million cash. Wu Zhu coins continued to be issued, along with other coins, until the end of the sixth century. Some coins can be attributed to specific reigns or events; many can not. | |
| The Iron Wu Zhu, resembling the W. Han coin, is attributed to Gongsun Shu, who rebelled in Sichuan in AD 25, and issued iron coins, two being equal to one Jian Wu Wu Zhu (). Head of the zhu component rounded. Typical of Eastern Han Wu Zhu's. In AD 30, a ditty was sung by the youths of Sichuan: "The yellow bull! the white belly! Let Wu Zhu coins return". This ridiculed the tokens of Wang Mang and the iron coins of Gongsun Shu, which were withdrawn by the Eastern Han Emperor Guangwu in the 16th year of Jian Wu (AD 40). The Emperor was advised that the foundation of the wealth of a country depends on a good political economy, which was found in the good old Wu Zhu coinage, and so reissued the Wu Zhu coins. | |
| The Si Chu Wu Zhu () has four lines on reverse radiating from the corners of the hole. It is attributed to the Eastern Han Emperor Ling, AD 186. The four lines are said to represent wealth flowing from a ruined city—an omen of the overthrow of the Han Dynasty. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which displays a long, prominent horizontal line on the obverse right above the square center hole. The diameter of this particular type of Wu Zhu cash coins tend to be around 20.6 millimeters and their weight generally is around 1.7 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which is distinctive in that it has three (3) slanted lines above, and three (3) slanted lines below, the square center hole. The slanting lines are raised above the surface which means that they had to be a part of the coin mould at the time of their production. The three (3) lines above and the three (3) lines below resemble the symbols on the Western Han dynasty era Ban Liang cash coins. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally tends to have a diameter of 23 millimeters and their weight tends to be around 1.8 grams. | |
| There are several types of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins which have four lines (or possibly elongated dots) to the left of the square center hole on the reverse side of the cash coin. These ancient Chinese symbols are similar to those that appeared on the reverse sides of some Western Han dynasty era Ban Liang cash coins. These types of Wu Zhu cash coins generally tend to have a diameter of 22.6 millimeters and a weight of 1.4 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins that has four (4- oblique lines extending outward from each corner of the square center hole to the rim on the reverse side of the cash coin. In Mandarin Chinese, this technique is referred to as "Si Chu" (四出), "Si" (四) translates as "four" and "Chu" (出) translates as "going out". This type of cash coin is also known as a "corner coin" (角钱), and these "corner coins" are generally believed to have been manufactured in the year 186 AD during the reign of Emperor Ling of the Eastern Han dynasty. As cities in ancient China had walls built around them as a means of protection against outside attacks. It is often said that the square center hole of this coin represented the city and that the four lines going out represented wealth flowing out, portending the fall of the Eastern Han dynasty in the year 220 AD. The diameter of this series of Wu Zhu cash coins tends to be around 25 millimeters and their weight tends to generally be around 3.1 grams. | |
| There is is another type of "Si Chu" (四出) Wu Zhu cash coins or "corner" Wu Zhu cash coins with four lines radiating outward from the square center hole, this variant is made from iron. This specific type was made in the year 523 AD during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty (a country which existed from the year 502 AD until the year 557 AD). This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally tend to have a diameter of 20.5 millimeters and a general weight of 2.6 grams. | |
| Some types of Wu Zhu cash coins contain Chinese characters and/or other ancient Chinese symbols. There is type of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins with the Hanzi (Chinese) character "Xiao" (小), which could be translated as "small", just above the square center hole, such characters as these may have indicated the area or limits in which these coins were intended to circulate to prevent them from circulating outside. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally tend to have a diameter of 24.3 mm and their average weight is around 2.1 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins produced during the Eastern Han dynasty era that has the Chinese character "Wang" (王) on the reverse side of the cash coin, rotated ninety (90) degrees, below the square center hole. "Wang" could be translated as "king" but it is also a common family name in China. In this instance the "Wang" Chinese character rises above the field of the cash coin which indicates that it was a designed into the coin mould. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally tend to have a diameter of 22.7 millimeters and an average weight of 2 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which have the Chinese character "Gong" (工) meaning "work" or "industry" written below the square center hole on the obverse side of the cash coin. The "Gong" character is "in relief" (阳文) meaning it was engraved into the coin mould in the same way as the other Chinese characters used in its legend or inscription. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally tend to have a diameter which is around 23.7 millimeters and their weight tends to be around 2.3 grams. | |
| There is is another type of Wu Zhu cash coins which also display a very distinct "Gong" (工) Chinese character meaning "work" or "industry", however this type tends to have the "Gong"on the reverse side of the cash coin below the lower left corner of the square center hole. The diameter of this type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally is around 26 millimeters and their weight is generally around 2.8 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which display ancient Chinese auspicious symbols, both above and below the square hole are swastikas. In China the swastika represents the Hanzi (Chinese) character "Wan" (万) which could be translated "ten-thousand". The extended meaning of "Wan" would be "all" such as "the myriad things" as it was used to represent in classic Taoist text written by Laozi the Tao Te Ching (道德經).This type of Wu Zhu cash coins have diameters which is generally around 23.5 millimeters and their weight tends to generally be around 2.3 grams. | |
| Shu Wu Zhu () coins have the word Chuan () on the obverse, or the numbers 1–32 on the reverse, in incuse characters. They are attributed to the Shu Han (221–265) by virtue of their find spots in Gansu. | |
Shen Lang Wu Zhu () has no jin component in zhu. They are attributed to Shen Chong of the House of Wu and cast after the foundation of the Eastern Jin Dynasty in 317. Also known as the Shen Chong Wu Zhu (); an old ballad contains the lines:
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| Dang Liang Wu Zhu () is a large thick coin, with a nominal weight of 8 zhu. They are attributed to Emperor Wen of the Southern Dynasties Song Dynasty, who had them cast in 447 as a measure against coining malpractices. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins with the character for "ten" (十) incused above the square center hole on the obverse side of the cash coin. The "ten" on these cash coins was engraved sometime after it was manufactured. The diameter of this type of Wu Zhu cash coins is generally around 25.9 millimeters and their weight tends to be around 2.8 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins where the Hanzi (Chinese) character "ten" (十) on the reverse side of the cash coin protrudes above the surface of the cash coin and is located above the square center hole. This series of Wu Zhu cash coins generally have a diameter of 22 millimeters and tend to have a weight of 1.4 grams. | |
| There is a series of Wu Zhu cash coins which has the Hanzi (Chinese) character for "ten" (十) on its reversed side where is incused above the square hole. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally have a diameter of 24.5 millimeters and a weight of 2 grams. | |
| There are various types of Wu Zhu cash coins that incorporate counting rods which are also known as "rod numbers" (numerals), this ancient form of writing Chinese numbers that occasionally appear on old Chinese cash coins rod numerals are believed to have been mainly used for doing calculations.. Among the types of Wu Zhu cash coins with rod numerals is one specific type produced under the reign of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The distinctive feature of these cash coin is that there are four (4) vertical bars (or lines) incused below the square center hole. "Incuse" means that the lines were cut, engraved or punched into the Wu Zhu cash coin, it is currently still unclear why they sometimes appear on these very old Chinese coins. As seen in the Wu Zhu cash coins that display the Chinese numbers "one" (一), "two" (二) and "three" (三) consist of one, two and three lines, respectively, one might guess through deduction that the number "four" would consist of four lines which is not the case with modern Chinese but it was the case in the ancient rod numeral system. For this reason it odd believed that the four lines on this type of Wu Zhu cash coins probably represent the number "four" in ancient Chinese rod numerals. The coins with one, two and three lines in actually may also be rod numerals since they are written empirically the same as the characters in modern Chinese. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally has a diameter of 24.5 millimeters and a weight of 2.1 gram. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coin which above the hole of has a short vertical line intersected by a longer horizontal line. This ancient Chinese symbol, which resembles a "T" turned on its side, appears to be the rod number "six" as written in the old Chinese rod numeral system. This series of Wu Zhu cash coins generally have a diameter of 22.6 millimeters and tend to have a weight of 1.9 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins on which there appears to be the ancient Chinese rod numeral "six" below the square center hole the reverse side of the cash coin. The diameter of this series of Wu Zhu cash coins is generally around 23 millimeters and their weight averages out around 1.7 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which above the square center hole appear to have an ancient Chinese rod numeral, this ancient Chinese rod number appears to be protruding above the surface of the cash coin, it is a horizontal line with three (3) vertical lines underneath. This is the ancient Chinese rod numeral symbol for "8" (eight). The series of Wu Zhu cash coins is also unusual because of the two dots (which are meant to represent "stars" on ancient Chinese cash coins) inside the "Wu" (五) Chinese character to the right of the square center hole. There is one dot (or "star") in the upper half and one dot (or "star") in the lower half of the character. This symbol gives the appearance of two eyes staring at the observer. Which is why this Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coin variety with the "two eyes" is known as "Chang Ming Wu Zhu" (長明五铢). This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally has a diameter of 21 millimeters and a weight of 1.4 grams. | |
| There is a series of Wu Zhu cash coins which has an ancient Chinese symbol above the square center hole which is very similar to a rod numeral. This symbol resembles the Chinese character "Shang" (上), which means "up", except that the upper horizontal stroke is on the left instead of the right. Gary Ashkenazy speculates that it is an alternative way of writing "six" in ancient Chinese rod numerals or that it might stand for "seven". Gary Ashkenazy also proposes that it might not be a number at all. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally tend to have a diameter of 23 millimeters and tend to have a weight of 1.7 grams. | |
| Some types of Wu Zhu cash coins have what appear to be lines, among them is a very specific type which on its obverse side has a very prominent vertical line (竖) above, and another very prominent vertical line below the square center hole. This series of Wu Zhu cash coins tend to have a diameter of 22.5 millimeters and a weight of 1.8 grams. | |
| There is a type of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins which have a long vertical line above and another below the square center hole on the reverse side. Since in this specific type of Wu Zhu cash coins the lines tend to be raised above the coin's surface, these lines had to have been intentionally included in the casting mould from which the cash coin was manufactured. The diameter of this type of Wu Zhu cash coins tend to be 23 millimeters and their weight is generally around 2 grams. | |
| Tian Jian Wu Zhu has an inner rim on obverse. At the start of the Liang Dynasty, money was only used around the capital. Elsewhere grain and cloth were used for trade. In the south, everyone used gold and silver. Therefore, in the 1st year of the Tian Jian period (502), the Emperor Wu cast Wu Zhu coins with an outer and inner rim. He also cast another sort without a rim called the female coin. The two sorts circulated together. | |
| Nu Qian () have no outer rim. | |
| An iron Wu Zhu with four lines radiating from the corners of the hole on the reverse. Attributed to Emperor Wu of Liang in 523. By 535, the traders in Sichuan were complaining of the trouble of stringing together such a number of [cheap] coins, and of the large number of carts needed to transport them. | .jpg){kind=small}
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| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which has two vertical lines in relief above the square center hole on the reverse side of the cash coin. The two lines allegedly represent the number "two" in Chinese (二). These Wu Zhu cash coins tend to have a diameter of 23 millimeters and a weight of 1.7 grams. | |
| There is a type of Han dynasty era Wu Zhu that has three vertical lines above the square center hole. These three lines allegedly represent the Chinese number "three" (三). These Wu Zhu cash coins tend to have a diameter that is 25.3 millimeters and their weight tends to be around 2.8 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins that are similar to the type described above except that there are three slanting lines located below the square center hole. The three lines allegedly also represent the Chinese character for "three" (三). These Wu Zhu cash coins tend to have a diameter that is 22.5 millimeters and their weight tends to be around 1.6 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins (五銖錢) that has a second "Wu" (五) Chinese character meaning "five" above the square center hole. This second "Wu" Chinese character is raised above the surface of the Wu Zhu cash coin the same as the Hanzi characters to the right and left of the hole. This means the second "Wu" Chinese character was actually intentionally engraved into the mould in the same manner as the other Chinese characters. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins tends to have a diameter of 23 millimeters and a weight of 2.2 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coin has another "Wu" (五) Chinese character, meaning "five", located to the left of the square center hole on the reverse side of the Wu Zhu cash coin. Unlike the type mentioned above, this "Wu" character is actually incused. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins has a diameter of 24 millimeters and a weight of 1.8 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins that have the Hanzi character "Liu" (六), which means "six", incused at the right of the square center hole and is rotated ninety (90) degrees in the clockwise direction. The incused character was engraved into the coin after it had already been manufactured and was not a feature of the mould itself from which the Wu Zhu cash coin was produced. The diameter of these types of Wu Zhu cash coins 23.5 millimeters and their weight is usually 1.6 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins that has the Hanzi (Chinese) character "Ba" (八), which means "eight" on the reverse side of the cash coin, incused above the square center hole. The "Ba" in this is usually upside down. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins generally have a diameter of 22.2 millimeters and a weight of 1.7 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins that has the number "nine" (九) incused (or carved) right above the square center hole. There is usually also an incused line running vertically through the "Wu" (五) Chinese character on the right side of this type of Wu Zhu's. The diameter of this type of Wu Zhu cash coins is 26.2 millimeters and their weight generally is at 3 grams. | |
| There is a type of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins that has a rather large and unusually well made Hanzi (Chinese) character "ten" (十) below the square center hole. The diameter of this type of Wu Zhu cash coins is generally around 23 millimeters and their weight tends to be around 2.6 grams. | |
| There is a rather unusual type of Wu Zhu cash coins which have the Hanzi (Chinese) character for "ten" (十) above the square center hole. Below the square center hole are two dots (which represent two "stars"). The dots (or "stars") and the "ten" Chinese character are in relief which means that they protrude above the coin surface and were part of the original design of the mould from which the Wu Zhu cash coins were cast. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins tend to have a diameter of 24.5 millimeters and a weight which is generally around 2.9 grams. | |
| Liang Zhu Wu Zhu () has a dot above and below the hole on the obverse. They are attributed to Emperor Yuan of the Liang Dynasty in 552. They were intended to be the equivalent of ten ordinary coins. | .jpg){kind=small}
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| Si Zhu Wu Zhu () have two dots on the obverse and reverse. They are attributed to Emperor Jing of the Liang Dynasty in 557. They were originally intended to be the equivalent of twenty ordinary coins, they soon became worth one. However, similar coins with dots have been found in tombs of a much earlier date. | .jpg){kind=small}
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| Chen Wu Zhu. () has a stout outer rim and no inner rim. The top part of the zhu component is square while the bottom part round. They are attributed to Emperor Wen of the Southern Dynasties Chen Dynasty and cast from Tian Jia 3 (562). One Chen Wu Zhu was worth ten small goose-eye coins. | .jpg){kind=small}
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| There is a type of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins that has a short bar or Chinese (Hanzi) character "one" (一) situated above the character "Wu" (五) at the right of the square center hole. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins has a diameter of 25.9 millimeters and a weight of 2.8 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins where the "one" (一) is located below the Chinese character "Wu" (五) to the right side of the square center hole. These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 23.3 millimeters and a weight of 1.8 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins that has on its obverse side (far left) a prominent "one" (一) located below the character "Wu" (五). However, the most distinctive feature or characteristic of this Wu Zhu cash coin is the center hole which is not square in shape unlike the far majority of other Chinese cash coins. Most non-square center holes are actually the result of insufficient molten bronze flowing to certain parts of the coin mould. The borders of the holes, in these cases, tend to be very ragged, irregular, and even uneven. This Han Dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coin is actually fairly well-made and has a "number" symbol meaning it received special attention during its casting process. The coin's unusual hole, while not square, is still too regular to have been formed by any form of accident. There are documented reports of similar Wu Zhu cash coins having been found with unusual center holes which appear to probably have been intentionally made. According to Gary Ashkenazy there is an article in the 1987 (seventh issue) of the Chinese periodical "Shaanxi Finance" (陝西金融, shǎn xī jīn róng) which shows rubbings of several wu zhu coins with unusual holes found in a hoard. One Wu Zhu cash coin is indeed very similar to this specific type but has only one, in contrast to two, square-like projections extending beyond the normal border of the center hole. The article also showed illustrations of several cash coins which had triangular-shaped projections extending beyond the border of the inner hole. According to Gary Ashkenazy the author of the article says that the coins did not show any indication that the holes were modified by force in any manner at some time after their casting. The author of the article was unable to propose what these distinctive holes may mean or symbolise as these things remain unknown. These Wu Zhu coins, with their modified square holes, may very well have been the precursor of the Chinese cash coins with "flower" or "rosette" holes (花穿錢) which were to become fairly common by the time of the Song Dynasty (960-1279). This type of Wu Zhu cash coins has a diameter of 26.2 millimeters and a weight of 2.5 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins that also has the Chinese character (一) meaning "one". But unlike the earlier types the "one" is above the "Zhu" (銖) Chinese character at the left of the side of the Square center hole. These Wu Zhu cash coins tend to have a diameter of 26.2 millimeters and a weight of 2.4 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins where the character "one" (一) is below the "Zhu" (銖) character at the left side of the square center hole. The diameter of this particular type of Wu Zhu cash coins tend to be around 25.8 millimeters and their weight tends to be around 2.7 grams. | |
| There is a particular type of Wu Zhu cash coins which has two long horizontal lines above the square center hole which may or may not represent the Chinese character (Hanzi) for "two" (二). The diameter of these Wu Zhu cash coins is 23.9 millimeters and their weight is 2.1 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which has two short horizontal lines above the "Zhu" (銖) character at the left of the square center hole. These two parallel lines represent the Chinese character (Hanzi) for "two" (二). These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 23.3 millimeters and a weight of 1.8 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zu cash coins that was cast during the "Six Dynasties period" in Chinese history, during this time some very refined cash coins were cast, however most cash coins from this period can be described as rather crude and inferior. Among these types of cash coin is an Wu Zhu can coin where the "Zhu" (銖) character to the left of the square center hole has been simplified so that only its right side component of "Zhu" (朱) appears. What is further unusual about this type of Wu Zhu cash coins is that there are two vertical bars incused just above the hole which according to Gary Ashkenazy probably represent the Chinese character for "two" (二). This type of Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 22.3 millimeters and a weight of 2.5 grams. | |
| There is a Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins that have a short vertical line or bar above the square center hole. This symbol may or may not represent the Chinese number "one" (一) as the purpose of these marks has yet to be revealed by modern archeologists. This series of Wu Zhu cash coins tend to have a diameter is 25.65 millimeters and a weight of 2.6 grams. | |
| There is a type of Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins that on their obverse side have two vertical lines in relief (known as "阳文" in Mandarin Chinese) above the square center hole. The two lines represent the Chinese number "two" (二) . The diameter of this type of Wu Zhu cash coins is 23.4 millimeters and their weight is 2.1 grams. | |
| Yong Ping Wu Zhu () have characters long and thin. They are attributed to Emperor Xuan of the Northern Wei Dynasty, during the Yong Ping period (510). | |
| Da Tong Wu Zhu () have a stout outer rim, inner rim only by the wu. Crossing lines of wu straight. Attributed to Emperor Wen of the Western Wei, Datong period (540). | |
| Western Wei Wu Zhu () have crossing lines of wu straight. The inner rim is by the wu only. They were previously attributed to the Sui Dynasty, however coins of this distinctive type were found within the tomb of HouYi of the Western Wei (535–556). | |
| There is a type of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins that is distinguished by having two prominent dots (or "stars") on its obverse side below the square center hole. These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 23.3 millimeters and a weight of 1.8 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which are from the Eastern Han dynasty that displays three dots (or "stars", as they represent) below the square center hole on its obverse side. These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 23 millimeters and a weight of 1.5 grams. | |
| There is an Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coin which on its reverse side has three "stars" (dot) below the square center hole. These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter which is 23 millimeters and a weight which is is 2 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which to the left has four large slanting dots (which all represent "stars") on its obverse side above the square hole. These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 24.2 millimeters and a weight of 2 grams. | |
| There is a type of Wu Zhu cash coins which were all probably cast during the reign of the Eastern Han dynasty, that appear to have what seems to be a series of four "stars" (or "dots") on its reverse side below the square hole. And to the left of these dots (which represent "stars") is a small crescent (which may or may not represent the "moon"), as is what seems to generally be the case with some the very oldest coins with charm-like symbols, the exact meaning and their intent currently remain unclear. These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 24.5 millimeters and a weight of 2.8 grams. | |
| Another type of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins has five dots (representing "stars") above the square hole. These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 24 millimeters and a weight of 2.8 grams. | |
| Another type not too dissimilar as the Eastern Han dynasty wra Wu Zhu cash coins also have five dots (representing "stars") above the square center hole but these in a different configuration. The diameter of these Wu Zhu cash coins is 25 millimeters and their weight is 2.1 grams. | |
| Another type of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins have a series of five dots (representing "stars") below the square center hole on its obverse side. The coin's diameter in this type of Wu Zhu cash coins is 23.7 millimeters and their weight is 2.4 grams. | |
| Soke Wu Zhu cash coins with Circles (representing the "Sun") tend to be rather nicely cast, these Wu Zhu cash coins have a "circle" (representing the "sun") below the square center hole. These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 25.2 millimeters and a weight of 4.1 grams. | |
| Some types of Wu Zhu cash coins contain numbers. Among them is yet another type of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu cash coins. This particular type has one horizontal line, which represents the Hanzi character for "one" (一), below the square center hole. This short line which represents the number "one" was neither cut or engraved into the Wu Zhu cash coin. Instead, the symbol was already designed into the mould and even protrudes above the surface of the coin the same as the Hanzi characters "Wu Zhu" (五銖). These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 26.4 millimeters and a weight of 3.1 grams. | |
| Sui Wu Zhu () is hourglass wu, inner rim by the wu only. They were first cast by Emperor Wen in 581. After introducing these new coins, the Emperor ordered all the frontiers to hand over 100 cash as samples in 583, and the next year strictly forbade the circulation of old coins and commanded that when this was disobeyed, the responsible officials should be fined half a years salary. 1,000 coins weighed 4 jin 2 liang. Minting privileges were granted to several imperial princes during this reign. | |
| Bai Qian Wu Zhu () has writing as above. The whitish colour of this coin is due to the addition of lead and tin to the alloy, which was done officially from 585. | |
| Yan Huan Wu Zhu () is a Wu Zhu whose middle has been cut out to make two coins. | _-_Scott_Semans_05.jpg){kind=small}
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| Some Wu Zhu cash coins have reversed inscriptions similar to the Ban Liang cash coins, these Wu Zhu can coins were cast with the inscription (legend) reversed. Usually, the "Wu" (五) is on the right side of the cash coin while the "Zhu" (銖) is on the left.On these "reverse inscription" Wu Zhu coins, however, the "Wu" (五) is on the left side of the cash coin while the "Zhu" (銖) is on the right. The Mandarin Chinese term for this reversal of Chinese characters is chuán xíng (傳形). Currently, the meaning or significance of reversing the two Chinese characters on these early cash coins is still unknown. | |
| Wu Zhu Coins with Dots or "Stars", Some of these have a very well formed dot or "star" above the upper left corner of the square hole. The "star" (dot) in this variant actually has a small tail which makes it appear similar to a shooting star or a "tadpole lucky cloud". These cash coins generally have a diameter of 25.7 millimeters and a weight of 3.2 grams. | |
| Another type of early Wu Zhu has a dot (or "star") located just above the "Wu" (五) character at the right of the square center hole. These cash coins tend to have a diameter of 25.8 millimeters and an average weight of 2.4 grams. | |
| Another variant of the Wu Zhu cash coin has a large dot (or "star" in Chinese symbolism) below the character "Wu" (五) to the right of the square center hole. This type of Wu Zhu cash coins has a diameter of 21.6 millimeters and a of weight is 1.4 grams. | |
| There is an Wu Zhu cash coin that has a very large dot (or "star" in Chinese symbolism) just below the square hole, these cash coins notably have no outer rim. For this reason, these cash coin are known as the "Gongshi Nüqian" (公式女銖) and were cast during the Southern dynasties period (which latsted from 420 AD until 589 AD) and were produced in the year 502 AD by Emperor Wu of the Liang dynasty (a country which existed from the year 502 AD until 557 AD). These cash coins have a diameter of 22.5 millimeters and a weight of 1.4 grams. | |
| During the Eastern Han dynasty (which lasted from 25 AD until 220 AD) an Wu Zhu cash coin with a "star" (represented by a dot) below the square center hole was cast. In certain specimens, however, the dot is not round but triangular in shape. These particular versions of the Wu Zhu cash coin have a diameter of 25.8 millimeters and a weight of 2.7 grams. | |
| There is an Wu Zhu cash coin which on the reverse side has a single "star" (or "dot") located to the left of the square center hole and near the rim of the cash coin. These cash coins have a diameter of 26 millimeters and a weight of 3.1 grams. | |
| There is an Wu Zhu cash coin that has a large triangular dot (or "triangular star") just above the square center hole. Also, it has centered between the lower edge of the square center hole and the rim is a smaller, but well-formed, round dot (or "star"). These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 22 millimeters and a weight of 1.8 grams. | |
| There is an Wu Zhu cash coin that is a well-known variety of Eastern Han dynasty era Wu Zhu coins, which has are two dots inside of the Chinese character "Wu" (五) on the right side of the Wu Zhu cash coin which gives the appearance of two eyes that are staring right at you. In Mandarin Chinese, this variety is known as the "Chang Ming Wu Zhu" (長明五铢). These Wu Zhu cash coins have a diameter of 23.7 millimeters and a weight of 1.7 grams. | |
| There is an Wu Zhu cash coin that has two very distinct dots (or "stars") on its obverse side above the square center hole. If one were to observe it closely, they would see that this same Wu Zhu cash coin also has two "stars" to the left of the square center hole on its reverse side. This type of Wu Zhu cash coin's diameter is 22.6 millimeters and has a weight of 2.3 grams. | |
| Zao Bian Wu Zhu () is the inner portion of a Wu Zhu whose outer portion has gone to make a thread ring. Surviving moulds show that some Wu Zhu's were actually cast like this. | |
| E Yan () or Ji Mu () are the names given to various diminutive Wu Zhu coins. This is a common type with sharp legends which has been found in Western Han tombs of 73–33 BC. | |
| Small coins with no characters. Traditionally ascribed to Dong Zhuo (), who in 190 usurped the throne and melted down nine huge Qin Dynasty statues to make coins. Could well have been cast at other times.[1] | |
References
[edit]- ↑ Hartill, 2005, p. 85, 91–94