Lot 1774

Description

China, The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms issues, (907-960), Five Dynasties coinage, Post Tang, Later Tang Dynasty, round cash with square holes, one cash, an issue by Emperor Ming in the Tiancheng period, obv."Tian Cheng yuan bao" four characters around, diameter 23 mm, issued 923-926, (Hartill 15.2 [R0 = extremely rare], Sch. -, TFP 757). another Post Jin Dynasty, issued by Emperor Gao Zong in the Tianfu period, 936-947, obv."Tian Fu yuan bao", four characters around, diameter 22 mm, (Hartill 15.3 [R6], Sch. -, TFP 759). Very fine, first extremely rare, second rare. (2)

After the collapse of the Tang Dynasty in 907, another period of disunity ensued. Five officially recognised dynasties ruled consecutively in the north, while ten different kingdoms ruled at various times in the south. A shortage of copper in the north made it extremely difficult to produce adequate supplies of coins hence their rarity.