File:Kaigen Tsūhō (開元通宝 背典) - Dr. Luke Roberts 02.jpg

English: This Tang dynasty Kai Yuan Tong Bao was minted from 845 long after the original version. It is part of an interesting series with mintmarks on the back. The reverse character here is Xing referring to the Xingyuan Fu mint. The patina on this coin is just the right color.

開元通宝　背典

I began collecting Japanese coins mainly to use as teaching aids in my classrooms. I then became interested in researching their manufacture and just admiring the beauty. I have become increasingly interested in Chinese coins largely because of their occasional extraordinary beauty. Coins of the Northern Song dynasty are my favorites in general. Below are a few coins from various dynasties, some Han Chinese and some from when China was part of other ethnic groups' empires, such as those of the Mongols and Manchus. 　 Asian Cash Home Page Luke Roberts Home Page comments? corrections? email me at lukerobt@history.ucsb.edu 　 　 Chinese Cash Coins The people who lived in the land of present day China made cash coins for more than two thousand years. Calligraphically the most beautiful and technically the most sophisticated coins came from the Northern Song dynasty. Even the coins made of iron reveal most extraordinary craftsmanship. China has frequently been part of foreign empires, such as the Mongol, the Jin, the Liao and the Manchu who set their ruling centers in China. These dynasties cast coins with legends in their own languages and scripts as well as in the Chinese language. Some of these coins are quite beautiful as well. Below is not an attempt at a comprehensive description of Chinese cash coins. It just touches on items of personal interest to me. As this page grows I may break it up into different dynasty pages.

At the bottom of each coin description I have put in the Chinese characters (using Japanese code). If your computer does not support Japanese this will come out in gibberish but don't worry it is not necessary.