Lhevae Posted June 5, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 5, 2022 What makes a coin beautiful to you? I am pretty confident to say that most of us will answer, "design", among other factors. And that is a fact, the iconography of a coin plays a major role in its attractiveness when it comes to western coins. We will enjoy a coin for its original design or its refined and particularly detailed engraving. When confronted to chinese coins, we are often disoriented by what we think to be a total lack of design and originality. Indeed, our conception of numismatic art is almost exclusively based on the iconography (from the latin iconographia, ~"drawing art", coming itself from the greek Εἰϰονογραφία). Ancient coins might be seen as little pieces of ancient art, and some if not a large part of engravers were definitely trying to reach something more than just a formal design with their work. But I'm preaching to the choir here. On the other hand, calligraphy is not really the strong point of western coinage, inscriptions having a purely functional role. One of the main features of ancient chinese coins is the absence of iconography. Since the birth of chinese coinage to the early 20th century only, chinese coins only had characters for themselves. Does that mean that people in China weren't seeking art in their coin production or that they couldn't come with anything artistic? I will not dwell on the particularity of the production (i.e. by casting coins in mass) that without a doubt contributed to the this absence of designs, but chinese coins are definitely more than just characters. There has been numismatists in China for a long time, and their interests were very different from the western collectors. This post will focus on the beautiful writing (literally) : calligraphy. I will speak about the main and more noticeable calligraphy styles used on coins. Although the interest in calligraphy in China traces back to the early antiquity, its importance on coinage really gained momentum during the reign of (the usurper) Wang Mang (9 - 23 AD). Before that, little to no attention was given to the calligraphy of spades and knives (most of them). On the same page, the calligraphy on Wu Zhu and Ban Liang was standardised the result of a simplification of the traditional seal script (small seal script). Wang Mang, in his first monetary reforms, kept using the small seal script in use on the during the Han Dynasty, although the care brought to it was definitely more noticeable. However the former Han official was a nostalgic for the golden confucean era and quickly created a complex monetary system, reintroducing spades, knives and other fancy coin shapes that were discontinued for centuries. With this new coinage, he also gave the Great Seal script (大篆, Dàzhuàn) an elegant and refined revival, sometimes called "suspended needles seal script". This name is pretty self speaking (see fig. 2 below). However, Wang Mang reign was short-lived and his reform of coinage was quickly abandoned. 1. Xin dynasty, Wang Mang (9-23 AD), 大泉五十 / Da Quan Wu Shi (27mm, 4.30g), large coin worth 50, small seal script. 2. Xin dynasty, Wang Mang (9-23 AD), Huo Bu, spade of 25 (57x22mm, 17.20g), great seal script. The centuries following Wang Mang's death saw a lot of political changes and marked an era of division and chaos for chinese coinage. Coinage was overall very poor in terms of workmanship and diversity. Most of the coins in circulation at a given moment were Wu Zhu : old coins, chiselled ones, private cast, reduced coins... Some kingdoms and dynasties tried to reintroduce the great seal script alongside coins of higher quality, but this was eventually a roller-coaster and all these initiatives didn't last long. The poor Wu Zhu were always coming back. I will share one of the finest uses of the great seal scripts of this period, for the sake of it, but it's not from my collection (unfortunately). 3. Northern Zhou, anonymous (557-581 AD), Yong Tong Wan Guo / 永通萬國 (580-581 AD), "jade sticks" seal script. Picture : SARC. With the durable unification of China under the rule of the Tang dynasty, from the 7th century to the 10th century, the Lishu script became the new dominant script on coins. This was originally the one used by merchants and civil servants on a daily basis. This is a more angular script, easier to write, with regular and almost straight strokes. This straightforward and clear script was perfect for one of the most important and durable reforms of coinage China had ever seen : the introduction of a new coin, the Kai Yuan Tong Bao (but I won't discuss the Tang coinage here in detail). 4. Tang dynasty, Su Zong (756-762 AD), 乾元重寶 /Qian Yuan zhong bao, 10 wen (30mm ; 7.25g) However, the turning point of calligraphy on chinese coins really was the Northern Song dynasty (960 - 1127 AD). You have to see this period as the equivalent to the european Renaissance. Culture was florishing, the interest in art and history was growing, and calligraphy was one of the more popular arts alongside poetry and painting. Being a talented calligrapher could get you as much recognition a great sculptor could have in ancient Greece. The first important calligraphy style used was the kaishu, or regular script. Albeit similar to the lishu, from which he was inspired, the regular script is based on what a painting brush would create : it's less angular, and a single stroke should not be even in terms of thickness (fig. 5). But the Song wouldn't stop there. One style wasn't enough. They soon introduced a great variety of calligraphy style in their coins, often issuing a single type in two or three different styles, declining the era names in various aesthetics. The running script was born during the Han dynasty but was only used on coins during the Song (fig. 6). It is a more natural, quick way of writing characters following the kaishu script, reducing the straight lines and allowing different strokes to merge. Another style in use, and this is probably my favourite, was the grass style. It was also a centuries-old style mastered by the Song. It goes one step further than the running script : straight lines are almost non-existent, components of the characters are ommitted, reducing the character to a fluid movement, in an almost abstract way (fig. 7). Notice how each character change from one style to another. 5. Northern Song, Tai Zong (976-997), 至道元寶 / Zhi Dao yuan bao (995-997), 1 wen, regular script. 6. Northern Song, Tai Zong (976-997), 至道元寶 / Zhi Dao yuan bao (995-997), 1 wen, running script. 7. Northern Song, Tai Zong (976-997), 至道元寶 / Zhi Dao yuan bao (995-997), 1 wen, grass script. The Song also did not fail to use the classic seal script (fig. 8.) on a fair amount of types. The very special nine fold seal script was also used on some coins of Ren Zong (fig. 9). This script was the one actually used on official seals and for daoist fulu talisman. The nine fold is a very intricate, ornate and complicated version of the traditional seal script. You can see how every character has multiple folds and layers, compared to the usual seal script. There is only one type of coin with this script, only known to a handful of examples, and it was probably not meant for circulation. However, the pinnacle of calligraphic artistry was probably reached during the reign of Hui Zong (1101-1125). Hui Zong himself was a famous painter, poet and calligrapher. The large coins bearing the era names Chong Ning exist in a peculiar script called slender gold script (fig. 10). This script, whose base is the kaishu script, is said to be from the hand of the emperor Hui Zong himself. The fact that these coins initially valued at 10 cash are large (~34mm) allow a great display of this particularly fine and elegant calligraphy style. I won't share my own specimen here because it's in particularly bad shape and I've yet to upgrade it, but these coins are hopefully very common and affordable. This was not the first time an emperor was involved in the calligraphy process of a coin type, and history records attribute a few other coin types to the hand of a given emperor. 8. Northern Song, Ren Zong (1022-1063), Ming Dao yuan bao / 明道元寶 (1032-1033), seal script. 9. Northern Song, Ren Zong (1022-1063), Huang Song tong bao / 皇宋通寶 (1039-1054), nine folded seal script, later cast charm (weight: 7 grams). 10. Northern Song, Hui Zong (1101-1125), Chong Ning tong bao (1102-1106), 10 wen, slender gold script. Picture : Ira and Larry Goldberg. I will end here this post, it's already long enough. I only wanted it to be a short introduction for those of you who are not familiar with chinese calligraphy on coins. However, other variants of the above scripts as well as other scripts do exist on coins (special mention to the very sepcial 'phags-pa script and to the later manchu on Qing coins), as well as a single coin can actually bear characters of different scripts. Whatever, I hope you enjoyed the post and feel free to share your old chinese coins or coins with a fine calligraphy (islamic coins, I'm looking at you!). 22 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPK Posted June 5, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 5, 2022 @Lhevae Very interesting post! I was only able to skim read it just now, but I will for sure be re-reading it in detail later on today. In the meantime, here's one of my Chinese coins: 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantoffel Posted June 5, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 5, 2022 Great post! 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted June 5, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 5, 2022 (edited) Nice thread @Lhevae.. Seljuq of Rum. Kaykhusraw III b. Qilij Arslan. Madinat Lu'lu'a mint, AH 664. Edited June 5, 2022 by Spaniard 15 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanxi Posted June 5, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 5, 2022 Here is one of my "Slender Gold Script" coins together with a painting and the hand writing of emperor Hui Zong (of course not mine, source Wikipedia). Perhaps it should be mentioned that Hui Zong was a great artist but an incompetent leader who brought the dynasty to an unnecessary and premature end. 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quant.geek Posted June 5, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 5, 2022 I am a fan of the Chinese iron cash coins, but getting good quality ones seems to be extremely difficult. Here are a few: Imperial China, Southern Song: Kai Xi (1205-1207) FE 2 Cash, Tongan Mint (Hartill-17.529) Obv: 開(开)禧通宝 Kai Xi tong bao Rev: 同 Tong above. Tongan mint, Anhui. Numbers for the year of casting below. 三 san (Year 3 - 1203) Imperial China, Ch'ing Dynasty: Xian Feng (1851-1861) FE 10 Cash, Baoding Mint (Hartill-22.1055) Obv: 咸豐重寶 Xian Feng zhong bao Rev: Numbers for denomination above and below, mint left and right in Manchu; 當十 ᠪᠣᠣ ᡷᡳ; Dang Shi (Value Ten) Boo jyi Imperial China, Ch'ing Dynasty: Xian Feng (1851-1861) FE 10 Cash, Board of Revenue, Peking (Hartill-22.737) Obv: 咸豐重寶 Xian Feng zhong bao Rev: Numbers for denomination above and below, mint left and right in Manchu; 當十 ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᡠᠸᠠᠨ; Dang shi (Value Ten) Boo chiowan Imperial China, Ch'ing Dynasty: Xian Feng (1851-1861) FE 50 Cash, Board of Revenue, Peking (Hartill-22.702) Obv: 咸豐重寶 Xian Feng zhong bao Rev: Numbers for denomination above and below, mint left and right in Manchu; 當十五 ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᡠᠸᠠᠨ; Dang wushi (Value Fifty) Boo chiowan 12 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted June 5, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 5, 2022 That was a very informative post. I have some Chinese coins, but knew next to nothing about them. I will now be able to return to your post for help. I hope you continue with more. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 5, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 5, 2022 CHINA - ZHOU Dynasty, 1122-255 BC square foot spade 350-250 BC AN YANG - 3 lines rev bronze 31x52mm 7.45g H3.184 S13+ China Wang Mang 7-27 CE AE 5 Zhu Xin Dynasty - Emperor 5 Zhu stroke to lower left China Wang Mang 7-23 CE Hsin AE Cash Xiao Quan Zhi Yi H 9.14 China Wang Mang 7-23 CE Xin Dyn AE 5 Zhu 23mm Huo Quan H 9.43 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 5, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 5, 2022 TANG DYNASTYFavorite Dynasty with wonderful Tang Horse artChina Tang Dynasty - Anon Middle Type 718-732 CE AE CashChina Tang 718-732 CE AE Cash Kai Yuan Tong Bao - Crescent H 14.3China Tang 845-846 CE AE Cash Kai Yuan Tong Bao - Luo H 14.77China Tang AE Cash H 14.101 13 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeandAcre Posted June 6, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 6, 2022 (edited) All of these are magnificent. @shanxi, Hui Zong has to remind me of Henry III (son of the equally distinguished King John), who was a huge patron of the arts, especially architecture, and whose total tone-deafness toward the aristocracy and bourgeoisie resulted in the '(Second /) Barons' War.' ...Rats, there aren't pics of any of my East Asian cash, or Islamic that shows off the calligraphy. Anyway, @Spaniard, that one of Rum trounces all of my Islamic. With that kind of calligraphy, why would anyone need one of the figurative ones? --Wait, there's a metaphor for how cool this is for a complete illiterate like yours truly: abstract art! On one level, that one of Rum evokes what Jackson Pollock might have done if he's stayed on his meds. (Meanwhile, Honest, I never got into imogees until this forum --well, other than my home-made one, :<} . Now I'm getting kind of carried away with them. But the popcorn one comes in Reeeally handy!) Edited June 6, 2022 by JeandAcre 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lhevae Posted June 6, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted June 6, 2022 I brought back this one from a coin show just today! I'm quite happy as this is a lovely type, and that makes a new dynasty to my collection (and it was cheap enough). The inscription is based on the wu zhu that were still circulating back then but the characters are quite elegant and the overall workmanship is fine. NORTHERN QI, Anonymous, Chang Ping Wu Zhu / 常平五銖 (553-577), 1 wen. 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnYangMan Posted June 6, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 6, 2022 (edited) Excellent coins and fantastic breakdown @Lhevae! And to illustrate; Chinese coins don't even need inscriptions and calligraphy to be beautiful! Edited June 6, 2022 by AnYangMan 12 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuckHard Posted June 7, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 7, 2022 Chinese cash have been slowly gaining my appreciation for several years now.. their pricetags definitely help them sparkle! I recently received a copy of Norman Gorny's book Northern Song Dynasty Cash Variety Guide 2016 (Amazon link) which has really let me appreciate the incredible intentional depth of Northern Song calligraphy. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking to look into deeper calligraphy varieties than Hartill and others provide while having it still be very accessible and explained as Gorny does here. Northern Song Dynasty of ChinaIssued during the ninth and final era of Emperor Renzong1056-1063 ADAE Cash | 2.98 grams | 24mmCalligraphy note: see the four outward pointed angles on the inner border corners on the obverse, referred to by Gorny as 'Four Springs'Obv: Jia You Tong Bao, Four Springs on inner border cornersRev: BlankRef: NS#21a.03, H#16.152var, Z#295407 Northern Song Dynasty of ChinaIssued during the first of two eras of Emperor Shenzong1068-1077 ADAE Cash | 3.41 grams | 24mmFancy calligraphy note: see the four outward pointed angles on the inner border corners on the obverse, referred to by Gorny as 'Four Springs'Obv: Xi Ning Yuan Bao, Four Springs on inner border cornersRev: BlankRef: NS#24b.32, H#16.191var, Z#295406 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Severus Alexander Posted June 7, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 7, 2022 (edited) What a fabulous post, thank you! I like you covered a lot of ground informatively but economically. More please. 😄 Here's my Hui Zong slender gold 10 wen/cash which has always been one of my favourite Chinese coins: I actually really like the archaic calligraphy on this Qi yi hua too (late 4th c. - 220 BCE): My Wang Mang spade: Cheng Zu (1403-24) yong le tong bao: And some Mongol phagspa that you mentioned (Yuan: Wu Zong / Khaishan, 1308-1311): Moving on to Islamic calligraphy, here's another Mongol coin, from the Chaghatayids: Qazan Timur, AH 744-747 / AD 1343-1346, 31mm AR Dinar. The Chaghatayids aren't really known for high production values but I think the calligraphy on this is quite beautiful: Arghun (1284-1291) of the Ilkans, not too shabby: Some of the best Islamic calligraphy is Indian, but I don't have any of the really amazing stuff. Here's one of the first rupees, of Sher Shah Suri (1538-1545, Mughal, well sort of anyway) : And much later, Furrukhsiyar (1713-1719), very elegant: Looking forward to your next post on Chinese coins! Edited June 7, 2022 by Severus Alexander 11 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milesofwho Posted June 7, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 7, 2022 There were three reign titles that used the Slender Gold Script: Chong Ning (1102-1106), Da Guan (1107-1110), and Xuan He (1119-1125). I have two of the three. Notably, the Xuan He is iron. 11 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniard Posted June 10, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 10, 2022 (edited) This is not my area of collecting 'at the moment '...... But I did pick up my first Chinese cash coin... CHINA. Xin Dynasty. Emperor Wang Mang AD 9-23. AE Cash, 23mm, 2.8g. Fifth reform, with inner rim; struck AD 14-23. Obv.:(wealth coin). Rev.: blank, as made. Reference: Hartill #9.32. Ex-Alex Fishman Just wondering what would this type of script be described as? Edited June 10, 2022 by Spaniard 10 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 10, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 10, 2022 China Wu Zhu coin clay mold unearthed in SanMenXia City in HeNan Province full obverse impression partial second impression probly H-8.6 110-90 BCE 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lhevae Posted June 11, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 11 hours ago, Spaniard said: This is not my area of collecting 'at the moment '...... But I did pick up my first Chinese cash coin... CHINA. Xin Dynasty. Emperor Wang Mang AD 9-23. AE Cash, 23mm, 2.8g. Fifth reform, with inner rim; struck AD 14-23. Obv.:(wealth coin). Rev.: blank, as made. Reference: Hartill #9.32. Ex-Alex Fishman Just wondering what would this type of script be described as? Nice one! It's in seal script, and more precisely great seal script if I'm not mistaken. See the huobu spade I shared above, the huo character (on the right) is pretty much in the same style, it just have more room to expand on the spade. @Severus Alexanderand @milesofwho, amazing coins you shared! 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lhevae Posted June 11, 2022 · Member Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 9 hours ago, Alegandron said: China Wu Zhu coin clay mold unearthed in SanMenXia City in HeNan Province full obverse impression partial second impression probly H-8.6 110-90 BCE Very nice, these moulds are fun and great in a collection! Here's the counterpart to yours, part of a clay 'mother mould' used to print the moulds. 7 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UkrainiiVityaz Posted June 11, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 11, 2022 I bought this in China a few years ago, this thread reminded me of being there in a park in Nanchang and watching older gentlemen with large brushes practicing calligraphy using water on the granite sidewalk. It was fascinating to watch because of the concentration and skill involved - but I sensed it was also a source of relaxation. I thought it interesting because I know only Greek, Cyrillic and Latin alphabets and only can do calligraphy in Cyrillic and Latin. I write out notes to myself at work in Cyrillic/Ukrainian and people think maybe it is Arabic! 8 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 11, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2022 Mongolia19991000 Tugriks 7.76g 586 goldDiamond Eyed Tiger 0.1 karatMC-001GLH0270 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPK Posted June 11, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 11, 2022 Have to credit @Lhevae and this great thread for sparking more of a personal interest in these ancient Chinese coins! The calligraphy is beautiful, and the variety and styles are intriguing. Long story short, I have a bunch of new Chinese coins coming in the mail. (isn't that always the "long story short" - more coins?😉 ) I can't wait to see them in hand, and post them up here! In the meantime, thanks @Lhevae and keep the posts coming! 🙂 3 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TuckHard Posted June 14, 2022 · Member Share Posted June 14, 2022 Here's an interesting Xi Ning Yuan Bao that I was looking at closer today. It has pretty unique Xi and Ning characters, but it's a perfect match to Gorny's NS#24a.22 in his book Northern Song Dynasty Cash Variety Guide 2016. Northern Song Dynasty of China 1068-1077 AD AE cash | 2.67 grams | 22.5mm wide Obv: Xi Ning Yuan Bao in Seal script Rev: Blank Ref: Hartill#16.174var, NS#24a.22, see this coin on Zeno, Z#296205 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alegandron Posted June 14, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 14, 2022 Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang - 1st Emperor to unite ChinaChinaQin Shi Huang34mm 8.5gban liang221-206 BCE半两 Primitive Line scriptrex Dr Alex FishmanAgain:China Qin 220-180 BC AE 12 Zhu Ban Liang Blank H7.7 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Conduitt Posted June 14, 2022 · Supporter Share Posted June 14, 2022 (edited) The only Chinese coin I've ever bought does not win for iconography or caligraphy. But I got it because it's huge, a beautiful green and from the time of Qin Shi Huang, he of the masoleum in Xi'an guarded by a terracotta army. Ban Liang, 221-210BC China. Bronze, 33mm, 9.40g (Hartill 7.6). Edit: snap, Alegandron 😆 Edited June 14, 2022 by John Conduitt 8 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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