10 Cash coins Song dynasty, China
Treasures from the Golden Age of China
In the course of its long development from a small cultural island on the Yellow River to the People’s Republic of China, the Land of the Dragon has witnessed many forms of money come and go. In ancient China, coins were the main forms of currency. These coins can be made of copper, iron, lead, gold and silver with different shapes, weight and marks and first turned up in the last phase of the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC–476 BC).
Copper Cash
Copper cash is the most famous of the Chinese ancient currency types, and began in the Qin Dynasty (221 BC–206 BC), a dynasty that left many legacies to the Chinese people such as the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army. In ancient times, many people believed that heaven is round and the earth is square, which is one of the reasons why the copper coin has the round shape and a square hole in the center.
Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty
Emperor Huizong (June 7, 1082 – June 4, 1135) was the eighth emperor of the Song dynasty in China. He was also a very well-known calligrapher. He lived in luxury, sophistication and art in the first half of his life.
Despite his incompetence in rulership, Emperor Huizong was celebrated for his promotion of Taoism and talents in poetry, painting, calligraphy and music. He sponsored numerous artists at his imperial court, and the catalogue of his collection listed over 6,000 known paintings.
Every day, we see increased excitement and collector demand for Chinese coinage that extends from the U.S. to mainland China and throughout Asia. As the world’s second largest and fastest growing economy, there is no doubt that the collector base for China’s cultural legacy will also continue to grow.