Lot 1775

Description

China, The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms issues (907-960), Five Dynasties coinage, Later Zhou Dynasty (951-960), round cash with square holes, one cash, an issue by Emperor Shi Zong from 955, obv."Zhou Yuan tong bao" four characters around, diameter 25 mm., issued 955-960, varieties with crescents, dots etc. (cf.Hartill 15.12-15.26, Sch. 414 (2), 417, 422, 425, 427, cf.TFP 764-768); together with contempory charms (2) rev. phoenix and dragon (cf.Sch. 48 for reverse), others modern (4) with reverses dragons, human and snake; Later Han Dynasty, issued by Emperor Gao Zu in the period 947-948, obv."Han Yuan tong bao", four characters around, diameter 25 mm. with dot below "tong", (Hartill 15.11 [R10], Sch. 411, cf.TFP 761). Very good - extremely fine, mostly scarce. (14)

The later Zhou Dynasty issues have their design based on the Kai Yuan coins and were cast from melted down statues from Buddhist temples. It is said that the emperor himself supervised the casting from the large furnaces at the back of the palace. The coins have amuletic properties because they were made from Buddhist statues and are particularly effective in midwifery, hence the appearance of contemporary charms and the later made charm imitations.