Characteristics of coins in Wang Mang's period

Features: The "I" shape cast in parallel across the right shoulder is worn on the back, and the mold presents obvious cavity pressure, and the red rust color rooted in the bone is integrated with money.

The character "I" calligraphy is characterized by thick left and thin bottom, slender strokes like needles, consistent with the style of money documents, and characterized by hanging needles and printing. The position of the "one" on the back of it is different from the general records, and it is established by convention with the position of the hanging needle seal "one" cast under the word "wine" of "sheep wine" which won money in Han Dynasty unearthed last year.

In fact, the stars and moon patterns and figures cast on the back of ancient coins are not always cast in the middle of the horizontal profile. For example, the number "eight" of the first coin in the Warring States period is cast on the upper right of its center line; Zhu Yuanzhang's moon pattern and the "red" of Chongbao are both cast in the middle of the upper right corner; Hui Zong's "Grand View Bao Tong", the first master of coin casting in ancient times, was also cast beside the upper right corner. Based on this, it is enough to show that the position of "Daquan50" after "One" is established.

Wang Mang coin is 2.8 cm in diameter, 0.3 cm in thickness (thick meat) and 6.8 g in weight. It is made of fine copper with a pit of red, green and hard rust. The shape of the coin is smooth as a chop, with four sides folded obliquely upwards and four corners slightly rounded. The inner and outer contours present the essence of the knife casting process, which is vigorous and tall. Qian Wen's hanging needle seal script is thin and powerful, and its delicacy is different from ordinary ones, which highlights the style of Wang Mang's fifty bronze molds in Daquan.

Extended data:

After Wang Mang came to power, in order to weaken the influence of the old Han clan and plunder the wealth of the people, he carried out a series of monetary reforms in the name of "changing the ancient system". Knife coins and cloth coins were restored in the reform, but they were different in form from those in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Due to the complexity and confusion of the monetary system, private transactions are not smooth.

And every time the size of coins is shrinking, the price is getting higher and higher, which is essentially exploiting the wealth of ordinary people. The failure of currency reform is also one of the reasons for the rapid demise of the new dynasty. Although Wang Mang's reform failed, the series of coins he issued were masterpieces in the history of ancient money. Most of the money is in the font of hanging needle seal, which is very beautiful. Jingui Wan Zhi, a national treasure, is one of the most valuable ancient coins, and there are only two left in the world.

References:

Baidu encyclopedia-Wang Mang coin