The 5th Money Shapes from Ancient China : Rounded Design

Pic.# 4 "CHANG YUAN YI JIN" meaning Chang yuan 1 Jin. The reading is now through to be Qi Yuan, which was a city in the state of Liang. This coin is now worth US$1,750.

Pic.# 3 "LISHI". Li Shi was a city in the state of Zhao. This coin is now worth: US$2,500.

Pic.#2 "YUAN" as a single character on the right. Yuan was a city in the state of Liang. This coin is now worth US$275.

Pic.#1 "JI". JI was a city in the state of Yan. This is a rarity of the highest order, and the only reference I have found it in is Fisher's Dings where it is listed as "price not determined". Estimated a value for something this rare, but probably somewhere between US$7,500 range.

The 4th Money Shape from Ancient China : Rounded Design

This rounded coin was mint during the Zhou Dynasty.

Pic.#1 "KUNG" as a single character on the right. Kung or Gong was a city in the state of Liang. Note: This coin is now worth US$950.

Pic.#2 Round coin with square hole. Obverse: "MING HUO".Note: This coin is now worth US$150.

The 3rd Money Shape from Ancient China : KNIFE Design

From the late Shang period through Zhou Dynasty the coin craftmen developed another new design which is in a shape of knife. This is because during this period the Shang dynasty is getting weaker and Zhou dynasty is getting stronger. And there was battle fighting between Shang and Zhou dynasties.

Hence, these coin craftmen come up with a very creative idea using knife shape and mould into money.

It was not only used as a form of money and it is also used as a form of self-defense. Though it is a form of money it is also a form of weapon when needed to protect one-self.

However, it is rather heavy and bulky and too sharp pointer to carry around.

In the next blog, you will get to see the changes from odd shape to round shape.

Note: Knife coin are worth : From US$120 per pc to US$1,500 per pc depending on the size and rareness from un-earthed limited qty.

The 2nd Money Shape from Ancient China : FLAT SPADES Design

As when the late Shang Dynasty has a better knowledge and technique in understanding the die-casting process using bronze material combine with other metal material like copper; silver and gold etc......There was a great acheivement in the design of coins made from these metal materials newly discovered by the Shang/Zhou craftmen.

Coins take after the form of their daily tools like spades designed was moulded into coins.

I find the Shang/Zhou Coin craftmen were very creative to designed coins in various shapes and forms which make my collection of ancient china coins much more interesting and knowledgeable than collecting modern coins which are just rounded shape. There are so much to trace the making of such coins and so much to learn about the process ands the moulding of such coins from the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

Note: Spades coin are worth from : US$350 per piece to US$1,500/pc depending on the limited quantity un-earthed.

The 1st Money Shapes from Ancient China: Shell Design

1) The early Shang Dynasty : Developed the Shell coins as a form of money when doing business transaction.

2) Mid-Shang period improved coins version using hard-bone and hard-shell from tortise.

3) Eventually the end of Shang period, bronze coins developed to replace shell and bone coins because these coins tend to break easily.

4) The first metal coin made from bronze in the Shang dynasty was known as " Ghost face" because it has a figure of a man. Actually the "ghost face" was an ancient chinese orcale writing.

Note: Shell coin is worth: US$55.00 each

Note: Bronze coin with ghost face is worth: US$65.00 each