Lot 1768

Description

China, The Tang Dynasty, Kingdom of Wu, round cash with square hole (A.D. 618-907), value one cash, obv."Kai Yuan tong bao" (The Inaugural Currency), four characters around, diameter 24 mm., early type issues (621-718), middle type issues (718-732) and late type issues (732-907), (Hartill 14.1 -14.10, Sch. 312ff, TFP 672ff]; also includes iron coin, (Hartill 14.10); issues with nail marks, crescents, dots etc., including (Sch. 315, 316 (2), 319, 321, 322, 323, 324, 328, 329, 334 (2), 335, 337, 338, 341, 343 (2), 344, Hartill p.106 for larger listing). A wide range of types and minor varieties mostly fine - very fine, many scarce. (30)

The Tang Dynasty is regarded as the golden age of Chinese literature and art. Commerce was stimulated by the growth of the mercantile class. Coins and cloth remained the primary types of money. Rice cost 336 cash for a hectolitre and labourers could be hired for 500 cash per month. Minting and copper extraction were centrally controlled and private casting punishable by death. The alloy for the coins was also fixed 83 percent copper, 15 percent lead and 2 percent tin. The Kai Yuan was the main coin issued by the Tang Dynasty and lasted for almost 300 years.