Brief Introduction of Copper Coins in Shang Dynasty: China was the first country to use metal coins. Among the metal currencies, copper coins were the main ones in the past dynasties. Therefore, the history of China's ancient currency is actually the history of copper coins. During the Yin and Zhou Dynasties, China used scallops as currency, and China was the first country to use coins in the world. Three thousand years ago, many "copper-free shells" were unearthed in tombs in the late Yin and Shang Dynasties, which were the most primitive metal coins. By the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty, in addition to shell coins, there were also some metal weighing coins such as loose copper blocks and copper ingots without a certain shape, which were also unearthed in archaeological excavations.
The evolution from natural currency to artificial currency. Shells were the earliest currency in China, and shells were used as currency in Shang Dynasty. In China's Chinese characters, most of the words related to value come from "Bei". With the development of commodity exchange, the demand for money is increasing, and shells can no longer meet people's needs. Shang people began to imitate seashells with copper. The appearance of copper coins is a major evolution from natural currency to artificial currency in the ancient currency history of China. With the extensive use of artificial coins, seashells, a natural currency, gradually withdrew from the currency stage in China.
China, an ancient coin of Shang Dynasty, was the first country to use coins in the world. Three thousand years ago, many "copper-free shells" were unearthed in tombs in the late Yin and Shang Dynasties, which were the most primitive metal coins. By the end of the Western Zhou Dynasty, in addition to shell coins, there were also some metal weighing coins such as loose copper blocks and copper ingots without a certain shape, which were also unearthed in archaeological excavations.
Three bronze shells were found in some Shang tombs. Copper shell is the transitional form of metal currency. After Qin Shihuang unified China, he unified the monetary system. Scrap knives, cloth, shells and other coins, it is stipulated that only the square hole line with a square hole in the middle of the outer circle is used, which evolved from the ring money. The currency after the Qin dynasty was square hole money, but the name was different. Copper coins, coins made of copper, are also called "copper coins". Copper coins mainly refer to non-porous copper coins in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.
Serious corrosion on coins in Shang Dynasty would affect the texture and value of coins. Some collectors of ancient coins are unwilling to remove rust in order to keep the original "ancient style", so that a layer of inorganic salt compound containing crystal water may be attached to ancient coins, and its chemical reaction is easy to form more serious corrosion. But be careful when removing rust, and suit the remedy to the case according to different situations.
There is no need to remove the slight rust color of ancient coins, and the appropriate rust color of ancient coins can increase their aesthetic value. In addition, the old "bodiless" ancient coins, which have been seriously corroded by long-term oxidation, are very fragile and cannot be rusted, otherwise the money will be broken.