347:
245:), whose contour looked like a mountain. At that time, the handicraft industry, business, iron-smelting industry and bronze casting industry in that kingdom were developed. Usually, people threaded the money together through these holes, which made it easier for people to carry, more convenient for the money to circulate. As a result, the three-hole spade money was well received among people at that time. Due to continuous wars, Zhongshan kingdom fell down and most of the three-hole spade money got lost. Today, there are few left and we can hardly find even in some nationalized large-scale museums.
24:
408:
436:
90:
153:
215:
422:
260:
354:
There were other coinages where no contemporary historical sources mentions them. For this reason the validity of these objects as a form of currency is called into question. Because it is unknown if they were or weren't forms of ancient
Chinese money, they are usually referred to as "pseudo money"
337:
From 350 BC onwards, round coins started to be used. The round coins from the areas that previously used spade money, had round holes in their center. The round coins from the knife money areas typically had square holes. There are only two coins known to be exceptions to this general rule.
323:, returned to his own land after the five-year exile from his kingdom. In order to celebrate the great victory and the return of Qi Xiangwang, Qi produced the six-word knife money (六字大刀). Besides the six-word one, there is three-word, four-word and five-word knife money as well.
208:), the late one. During the currency process, each kingdom had developed their techniques for producing money with the great growth of the national economy. As a result, big changes had taken place in spade money, from big and thick one to small and thin one.
198:), and it is where spade money derived its name. During the Spring and Autumn period, spade money was used mainly in Shanxi and Zhou royal family. There are two primary types of spade money, Kong Shou Bu (空首布), the early one, and Ping Shou Bu (Chinese:
275:
was one of the strongest in all of China. To show the strength of their kingdom and inherit the tradition of the fondness of knives as the northern grassland nationality, Qi carried out knife-money-system policy.
779:
211:
Spade money began to be used in the Spring and Autumn period and ended in the late
Warring States. Today, there are few remaining and it has become the emphasis of collectors.
681:
396:" (橋幣). Some specimens of "bridge money" are further subdivided into more categories such as "tiger head bridge money" and "dragon head bridge money" based on their shape.
1236:
235:) (nearly in the 4th century BC), a small vassal state in the mid-Warring States period, first invented and used the early three-hole spade money (Chinese:
642:
772:
805:
332:
1291:
37:
includes some of the earliest coins produced in the world. However, they were mostly not the typical round shape of modern coins. They included
765:
346:
1193:
1014:
868:
464:
459:
617:
1344:
540:
81:
or metal coming into use. Some sources suggest that early round coins were a highly stylised representation of the cowrie shells.
673:
1339:
895:
509:
364:
595:
1271:
1261:
858:
479:
356:
111:
produced rough squares of gold, stamped with one or two characters which were used as money. In
Chinese they are known as
1276:
1266:
1256:
1120:
948:
820:
800:
449:
570:
23:
1211:
916:
1168:
1071:
1066:
634:
62:
810:
732:
454:
178:) is similar to spade, an agricultural tool. The pronunciation of "spade" in Chinese is "bo" (Chinese:
1349:
843:
1178:
1081:
890:
885:
880:
848:
489:
474:
469:
290:
1009:
900:
863:
838:
833:
611:
484:
389:
393:
441:
385:
28:
1232:
1224:
1219:
1203:
1051:
1046:
222:
89:
1318:
1299:
1281:
1056:
1001:
958:
721:
614:
161:
116:
536:
1304:
1152:
1029:
621:
599:
936:
931:
926:
853:
268:
152:
1333:
1183:
1102:
1076:
976:
921:
873:
706:
66:
42:
1188:
427:
413:
294:
214:
108:
38:
289:), the senior general, Qi successfully wiped out the enemy unit, the alliance of
1136:
1097:
1041:
991:
981:
966:
748:
592:
513:
306:
302:
298:
254:
147:
70:
50:
46:
1173:
403:
272:
259:
678:
Gary
Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)
639:
Gary
Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)
567:
Gary
Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)
1128:
1019:
986:
737:
102:
94:
74:
384:
These currency are often named based on their shape, for example there is "
562:
1247:
1061:
971:
941:
35:
Chinese coinage during the Spring and Autumn and
Warring States periods
757:
333:
List of
Chinese cash coins by inscription § Warring states period
124:
121:
1024:
372:
169:
129:
1036:
345:
258:
213:
151:
22:
1144:
78:
69:, cowrie shells had been used as an early type of money. In the
761:
309:
and retook the lost land. Moreover, Qi
Xiangwang (Chinese:
73:, their use became more stylised with replica shells made of
668:
666:
664:
662:
660:
320:
674:"Ancient Chinese Coin Exhibit at the Qi Heritage Museum"
279:
In 279 BC, in the charge of Tian Dan (Chinese:
526:
A snap shot view of The
History of China by YK Kwan
1290:
1246:
1202:
1161:
1113:
1090:
1000:
957:
909:
819:
793:
615:The monetary systems of the Han and Roman Empires.
350:An example of Zhou dynasty era "bridge money".
773:
188:), which is very close to "bu" (Chinese:
8:
97:". "Ying" being the name of the Chu capital.
780:
766:
758:
806:List of Chinese cash coins by inscription
593:Ancient Chinese Coinage 700 BC to 255 BC.
27:Different types of Zhou dynasty coinage.
699:
88:
635:"State of Qi Six Character Knife Money"
624:February 2008. Retrieved: 13 June 2017.
501:
573:from the original on September 1, 2018
728:
718:
702:
543:from the original on December 4, 2010
7:
591:Calgary Coins & Antique Gallery
715:Adoption of metallic money systems.
460:Chinese coinage in the Ming dynasty
645:from the original on June 19, 2017
14:
1091:Manufacturing and casting process
684:from the original on May 29, 2023
537:"Shell Money before Qin Dynasty"
434:
420:
406:
896:Paper money of the Qing dynasty
869:Jin dynasty coinage (1115–1234)
747:Unification of China under the
465:Jin dynasty coinage (1115–1234)
1292:Special administrative regions
377:
368:
360:
315:
285:
241:
231:
204:
194:
184:
174:
134:
1:
1169:Charms and amulets (Yansheng)
859:Southern Song dynasty coinage
480:Southern Song dynasty coinage
949:Yuan of the Red Army Command
263:Yan State knife money (燕国刀币)
801:History of Chinese currency
450:History of Chinese currency
18:Historical coinage of China
1366:
330:
252:
160:The shape of spade money (
145:
100:
1345:Economic history of China
1313:
917:Historical money of Tibet
310:
280:
236:
226:
199:
189:
179:
165:
120:
1072:Great Qing Treasure Note
1067:Great Ming Treasure Note
602:Retrieved: 13 June 2017.
93:Gold coins marked with "
63:Spring and Autumn period
821:By period (before 1912)
811:Ancient Chinese coinage
733:Ancient Chinese coinage
455:Ancient Chinese coinage
355:or "odd shaped money" (
1340:Coins of ancient China
726:771 BC – 221 BC
563:"Chinese coins – 中國錢幣"
351:
264:
225:kingdom (Chinese:
219:
218:Three-hole spade money
157:
98:
31:
844:Southern Tang coinage
620:May 26, 2023, at the
598:May 16, 2018, at the
569:. November 16, 2016.
349:
262:
217:
155:
92:
26:
1179:Vault protector coin
891:Qing dynasty coinage
886:Ming dynasty coinage
881:Yuan dynasty coinage
849:Liao dynasty coinage
829:Zhou dynasty coinage
680:. December 2, 2014.
641:. December 9, 2014.
490:Yuan dynasty coinage
475:Qing dynasty coinage
470:Liao dynasty coinage
1162:Historical exonumia
864:Western Xia coinage
839:Xin dynasty coinage
834:Han dynasty coinage
788:Currencies of China
612:Stanford University
485:Western Xia coinage
365:traditional Chinese
510:"History of China"
442:Numismatics portal
357:simplified Chinese
352:
265:
220:
158:
99:
51:knife-shaped money
47:spade-shaped money
32:
1327:
1326:
1233:New Taiwan dollar
1225:Chinese gold yuan
1220:Old Taiwan dollar
1212:Customs gold unit
1204:Republic of China
910:Other territories
756:
755:
752:
716:
327:Early round coins
319:), the leader of
267:During the early
1357:
1319:Economy of China
1300:Hong Kong dollar
782:
775:
768:
759:
743:
711:
700:
694:
693:
691:
689:
670:
655:
654:
652:
650:
631:
625:
609:
603:
589:
583:
582:
580:
578:
559:
553:
552:
550:
548:
533:
527:
525:
523:
521:
512:. Archived from
506:
444:
439:
438:
437:
430:
425:
424:
423:
416:
411:
410:
409:
379:
370:
362:
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287:
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243:
238:
233:
228:
206:
201:
196:
191:
186:
181:
176:
167:
136:
127:
1365:
1364:
1360:
1359:
1358:
1356:
1355:
1354:
1330:
1329:
1328:
1323:
1309:
1305:Macanese pataca
1286:
1242:
1198:
1157:
1109:
1086:
1030:Kaiyuan Tongbao
996:
953:
905:
815:
789:
786:
742:
735:
730:
725:
710:
704:
698:
697:
687:
685:
672:
671:
658:
648:
646:
633:
632:
628:
622:Wayback Machine
610:
606:
600:Wayback Machine
590:
586:
576:
574:
561:
560:
556:
546:
544:
535:
534:
530:
519:
517:
508:
507:
503:
498:
440:
435:
433:
426:
421:
419:
412:
407:
405:
402:
344:
335:
329:
271:, the state of
257:
251:
150:
144:
105:
87:
59:
29:Musée Cernuschi
19:
12:
11:
5:
1363:
1361:
1353:
1352:
1347:
1342:
1332:
1331:
1325:
1324:
1322:
1321:
1314:
1311:
1310:
1308:
1307:
1302:
1296:
1294:
1288:
1287:
1285:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1253:
1251:
1244:
1243:
1241:
1240:
1230:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1214:
1208:
1206:
1200:
1199:
1197:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1165:
1163:
1159:
1158:
1156:
1155:
1150:
1142:
1134:
1126:
1117:
1115:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1107:
1106:
1105:
1094:
1092:
1088:
1087:
1085:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1033:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1006:
1004:
998:
997:
995:
994:
989:
984:
979:
974:
969:
963:
961:
955:
954:
952:
951:
946:
945:
944:
937:Xinjiang coins
934:
932:Mengjiang yuan
929:
927:Manchukuo yuan
924:
919:
913:
911:
907:
906:
904:
903:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
877:
876:
866:
861:
856:
854:Da Shu coinage
851:
846:
841:
836:
831:
825:
823:
817:
816:
814:
813:
808:
803:
797:
795:
791:
790:
787:
785:
784:
777:
770:
762:
754:
753:
727:
717:
696:
695:
656:
626:
604:
584:
554:
528:
516:on May 3, 2012
500:
499:
497:
494:
493:
492:
487:
482:
477:
472:
467:
462:
457:
452:
446:
445:
431:
417:
401:
398:
343:
342:Other coinages
340:
331:Main article:
328:
325:
313:; pinyin:
283:; pinyin:
269:Warring States
253:Main article:
250:
247:
242:sān kǒng bù bì
239:; pinyin:
229:; pinyin:
202:; pinyin:
192:; pinyin:
182:; pinyin:
146:Main article:
143:
140:
101:Main article:
86:
83:
58:
55:
43:ant nose money
17:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1362:
1351:
1348:
1346:
1343:
1341:
1338:
1337:
1335:
1320:
1316:
1315:
1312:
1306:
1303:
1301:
1298:
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1283:
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1278:
1275:
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1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1245:
1238:
1234:
1231:
1229:Silver dollar
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1209:
1207:
1205:
1201:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1184:Zhaona Xinbao
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1172:
1170:
1167:
1166:
1164:
1160:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1148:
1143:
1141:
1140:
1135:
1133:
1132:
1127:
1125:
1124:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1112:
1104:
1103:Ancestor coin
1101:
1100:
1099:
1096:
1095:
1093:
1089:
1083:
1082:Silver Dragon
1080:
1078:
1077:Hubu Guanpiao
1075:
1073:
1070:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1012:
1011:
1008:
1007:
1005:
1003:
999:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
977:Ant-nose coin
975:
973:
970:
968:
965:
964:
962:
960:
956:
950:
947:
943:
940:
939:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
922:Kucha coinage
920:
918:
915:
914:
912:
908:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
875:
874:Da Qi coinage
872:
871:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
840:
837:
835:
832:
830:
827:
826:
824:
822:
818:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
798:
796:
792:
783:
778:
776:
771:
769:
764:
763:
760:
750:
746:
741:
739:
734:
729:Succeeded by:
724:
723:
714:
709:
708:
707:Cowrie shells
701:
683:
679:
675:
669:
667:
665:
663:
661:
657:
644:
640:
636:
630:
627:
623:
619:
616:
613:
608:
605:
601:
597:
594:
588:
585:
572:
568:
564:
558:
555:
542:
538:
532:
529:
515:
511:
505:
502:
495:
491:
488:
486:
483:
481:
478:
476:
473:
471:
468:
466:
463:
461:
458:
456:
453:
451:
448:
447:
443:
432:
429:
418:
415:
404:
399:
397:
395:
392:" (戟幣), and "
391:
390:halberd money
387:
382:
380:
374:
366:
358:
348:
341:
339:
334:
326:
324:
322:
318:
316:qí xiāng wáng
308:
304:
300:
296:
292:
288:
277:
274:
270:
261:
256:
248:
246:
244:
234:
232:zhōngshān guó
224:
216:
212:
209:
207:
197:
187:
177:
171:
163:
154:
149:
141:
139:
137:
131:
126:
123:
118:
114:
110:
104:
96:
91:
84:
82:
80:
76:
72:
68:
67:Shang dynasty
65:, during the
64:
56:
54:
52:
48:
44:
40:
39:cowrie shells
36:
30:
25:
21:
16:
1350:Zhou dynasty
1189:Bamboo tally
1146:
1138:
1130:
1122:
967:Cowrie shell
828:
744:
731:
720:Currency of
719:
712:
705:
703:Preceded by:
688:February 22,
686:. Retrieved
677:
647:. Retrieved
638:
629:
607:
587:
575:. Retrieved
566:
557:
547:November 29,
545:. Retrieved
531:
518:. Retrieved
514:the original
504:
428:Money portal
414:China portal
394:bridge money
383:
376:
353:
336:
314:
284:
278:
266:
240:
230:
221:
210:
205:Píng shǒu bù
203:
193:
183:
173:
159:
133:
112:
109:State of Chu
106:
60:
57:Cowrie shell
34:
33:
20:
15:
1114:Near modern
1098:Mother coin
1042:Flying cash
992:Spade money
982:Knife money
255:Knife money
249:Knife money
156:Spade money
148:Spade money
142:Spade money
71:Zhou period
61:Before the
1334:Categories
1317:See also:
1174:Horse coin
1129:Candareen
1010:Cash coins
496:References
386:fish money
378:yì xíng bì
85:Gold money
1020:Ban Liang
987:Ying Yuan
738:Ban Liang
388:" (魚幣), "
223:Zhongshan
135:yǐng yuán
113:Ying Yuan
103:Ying Yuan
95:Ying Yuan
75:porcelain
1248:Renminbi
1062:Jiaochao
1002:Imperial
972:Tong Bei
942:Hongqian
901:Shengbao
794:Overview
682:Archived
649:June 13,
643:Archived
618:Archived
596:Archived
577:June 13,
571:Archived
541:Archived
400:See also
286:tián dān
1282:Digital
1147:(liǎng)
1015:Strings
959:Ancient
745:Reason:
713:Reason:
520:May 21,
162:Chinese
117:Chinese
1250:series
1139:(qián)
1052:Guanzi
1047:Jiaozi
1025:Wu Zhu
740:coins)
375::
373:pinyin
367::
359::
172::
170:pinyin
164::
132::
130:pinyin
119::
1194:Token
1145:Tael
1137:Mace
1131:(fēn)
1123:(wén)
1121:Cash
1057:Huizi
1037:Sycee
722:China
175:bù bì
1216:Fabi
1153:Yuan
690:2020
651:2017
579:2017
549:2013
522:2012
381:).
295:Zhao
237:三孔布币
107:The
79:jade
49:and
1277:5th
1272:4th
1267:3rd
1262:2nd
1257:1st
1237:5th
749:Qin
369:異形幣
361:异形币
311:齐襄王
307:Chu
303:Qin
299:Wei
291:Han
227:中山国
200:平首布
138:).
1336::
676:.
659:^
637:.
565:.
539:.
371:;
363:;
321:Qi
305:,
301:,
297:,
293:,
281:田单
273:Qi
195:bù
185:bó
168:;
166:布币
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551:.
524:.
190:布
180:镈
125:爰
122:郢
115:(
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