Katalog monet Chin cz. V - Nothern Song dyn. (960-1125).pdf - Numizmatyka - ivy7

Zaiton catalogue of

Ancient Chinese coins

Chapter V: Northern Song dynasty

(960 – 1125)

Revision 1, January 2007

Zaiton catalogue of Chinese coins Chapter V: Northern Song dynasty Rev. 1.0 January 2007

Chapter V.

Coins of Northern Song (960-1125)

version: NS 1.0

January 2007

Coins that are shown belong to the Chinese coins collection of Zaiton, unless indicated differently.

The coins shown are assumed to be genuine, except when indicated as ‘suspect’.

Catalogue numbers in the column ‘Schj.” refer to the publication of F. Schjöth “ Chinese Currency. The

currency of the Far East ” of 1929, reprinted in 1976 by Andrew Publishing Company.

No liability can be accepted for the correctness of the contents of the information given in this document.

Indication in this catalogue of the rarity (‘R.’) of the coins’ occurrence:

Very common

Common

Very rare

The size of the coins illustrations are approximately equal to the real size of the specimens, when printed on

A4 paper format. The spacing of the blue grid in the background of the photographs is 5mm in actual size.

Chapter V.

Coins of Northern Song (960-1125)

Introduction

The Northern Song ( 北宋 ) dynasty was one of the most productive dynasties, with respect to the

issuing of different variations of bronze cash coins. Even more than its abundance, the quality and

aesthetic value of the Song coins are highly appreciated. The standardized sizes and 4-character

pattern on the obverse, practiced since the introduction of the ‘ kaiyuan’ -coin ( 開元 ) of the Tang

dynasty (618-907) was followed. The reverse of a coin during the Song-dynasty was empty, with very

few exceptions (mostly nail marks or a dot and at one occasion the designation of the place of minting;

ref. cat. nr. NSONG-123).

During the reign of an emperor (not only during the Song dynasty!) the reigning period was given a

year-title or motto, the period name. This year-title, nian hao in Chinese, consisted always of two

characters and was during the Song-dynasty changed at irregular intervals (typically every 4 to 8 years,

but sometimes within one year). Such a change of motto took place when a new emperor ascended

the throne and / or due to some happy or unhappy event. Most of these motto’s of the reigning periods

are represented on the coins cast during that time.

The 4-character reading was always consistently the same, since the beginning of the Tang dynasty in

618 until the end of the Chinese empire in 1911: The first two characters represent the nian hao,

followed by two additional characters that could be 通寳 tong bao (=valid coin), 重寳 zhong bao

(=heavy coin) or 元寶 yuan bao (=new coin). The upper character represents the first character of the

nian hao . The second character of the nian hao was placed at the bottom or at the right position. The

bao character was always placed at the left position.

As a rule – as stated above - the two characters of the year-title, nian hao, appeared on the coins that

were issued during that particular period. However, sometimes for reasons of aesthetics, for example

when one of the characters of the year-title was the same as the character 寳 ‘ bao’ (=value, precious,

coin), a different 2-character text was chosen. An example is the first year-title of the Song dynasty,

kai bao ( 開寳 ), where the text on the coins issued during that period was song yuan ( 宋元 ). Both

herald a new era.

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Rare

Zaiton catalogue of Chinese coins Chapter V: Northern Song dynasty Rev. 1.0 January 2007

Besides the variations in the text, also often several styles of writing were applied during a given

period: regular writing, seal writing and cursive writing. This gives collecting of the Song coins an extra

attraction.

During the Song dynasty many iron variants of the bronze coins were issued. These coins were

considered as less valued than its bronze equivalent at the time of issuing. Due to its relative rarity,

however, today iron coins are much higher valued.

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Zaiton catalogue of Chinese coins Chapter V: Northern Song dynasty Rev. 1.0 January 2007

Coins Northern Song 北宋 (960-1125)

Emperor: (Song) Taizu 太祖

Reign:

960-976

Period: Kaibao 開寳 968-975, text on coin: 宋元 (“New Song”)

Cat. nr.:

Schj: Obverse

Value:

Diameter: Remarks:

R.:

NSONG-001

451 song yuan tong bao

1 cash

24 mm regular writing

NSONG-002

459 song yuan tong bao

1 cash

25 mm iron; regular writing

NSONG-001

Emperor: (Song) Taizong 太宗 Reign: 976-997

Period: Taiping 太平 (“Peace and Tranquillity”) 976-984

Cat. nr.:

Schj: Obverse

Value:

Diam.:

Remarks:

R.:

NSONG-003 460 tai ping tong bao

1 cash 24mm

regular writing

NSONG-004 462 tai ping tong bao

1 cash 25mm

iron; regular writing

NSONG-003

Period: Chunhua 淳化 (“Pure Change”) 990-994

Cat. nr.:

Schj: Obverse

Value: Diam.:

regular writing

R.:

NSONG-006 464 chun hua yuan bao

1 cash 24mm.

cursive writing

NSONG-005 NSONG-006

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NSONG-005 463 chun hua yuan bao

1 cash 24mm.

Remarks:

Zaiton catalogue of Chinese coins Chapter V: Northern Song dynasty Rev. 1.0 January 2007

Period: Zhidao 至道 995-998

Cat. nr.:

Value:

Diam.: Remarks:

R.:

NSONG-007 465 zhi dao tong bao

1 cash

25 mm regular writing

NSONG-008 467 zhi dao yuan bao

1 cash

25 mm cursive writing

NSONG-009 468 zhi dao yuan bao

1 cash

24 mm cursive "grass" writing

NSONG-007 NSONG-008 NSONG-009

Emperor: Zhenzong 真宗 Reign: 997-1022

Period: Xianping 咸平 (“Peace all around”) 998-1004

Cat. nr.:

Value:

Diam.: Remarks:

R.:

NSONG-010 469 xian ping yuan bao

1 cash

25 mm regular writing

NSONG - 010

Period: Jingde 景徳 (“Virtue”) 1004-1007

Cat. nr.:

Value:

Diam.: Remarks:

R.:

NSONG-011 471 jing de yuan bao

1 cash

25 mm regular writing

NSONG-012 472 jing de yuan bao

1 cash

34 mm iron; large size

NSONG - 011

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Schj: Obverse

Schj: Obverse:

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