World Silver & Bronze

Lot 1769    SESSION 6 (Thursday at 9.30am)    World Silver & Bronze

Estimate $250
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $270

CHINA, The Tang Dynasty, Kingdom of Wu, round cash with square hole, (A.D. 618-907), Emperor Gao Zong (649-683), "Qian Feng quan boa" four characters around, diameter 26 mm., a large fragment, (Hartill 14.100, Sch. 350, TFP 685); Emperor Su Zong (756-762), "Qian Yuan zhong boa" four characters around, diameter 30 mm., value ten, another value fifty with double rim reverse, (16 g.) diameter 35 mm., (illust.), (Hartill 14.101, 14.105, Sch. 352, 355, TFP 691, 699); Emperor Su Zong (756-762), value one, similar, four characters around, diameter 24-25 mm., varieties with crescents and lines on reverse, (Hartill 14.114, 14.115, 14.116, Sch. 353, 361 (2), 362 (2), 363, 364 (2), TFP 700); Emperor Dai Zong - Dali Period (766-779), "Da Li yuan boa" four characters around, diameter 26 mm., (Hartill 14.130, Sch. -, TFP 702-3 [R6]) (illust.) a variant of word placement to that published; Emperor De Zong - Jianzhong Period (780-783), "Jian Zhong tong boa" diameter 25 mm. (Hartill 14.133, Sch. -, TFP 704-5 [R6]). A range of types and minor varieties mostly fine - good very fine, the last two very rare. (13)

These Tang Dynasty issues were specially made by various emperors in attempts to overcome shortages of copper with one new coin of Gao Zong being equivalent to ten old coins. Su Zong's issues were to pay the army fighting against rebels. The illustrated double rim fifty cash were known as the "Zhong Lun" (heavy wheel) cash. They were soon devalued to thirty cash, and in 762 devalued to three cash. The last two issues were struck (as known from find spots) by local government in the Kucha area of Xinjiang and are very rare (Hartill values them at $250US each.