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  • How To Read Chinese Coins

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    David Ruckser
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    The document provides instructions on how to read and understand Chinese coins from various dynasties. It explains that coins are read from top to bottom, then right to left, and lists the reign titles and dates of emperors from dynasties like Ming, Yuan, Liao, and more. Various coin styles and scripts from different time periods are also described.

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    Beginner's Guide to reading & understanding Cash Coins!

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    How to Read Chinese Coins

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    The document provides instructions on how to read and understand Chinese coins from various dynasties. It explains that coins are read from top to bottom, then right to left, and lists the reign titles and dates of emperors from dynasties like Ming, Yuan, Liao, and more. Various coin styles and scripts from different time periods are also described.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    Download as pdf or txt
    370 views12 pages

    How To Read Chinese Coins

    Uploaded by

    David Ruckser
    The document provides instructions on how to read and understand Chinese coins from various dynasties. It explains that coins are read from top to bottom, then right to left, and lists the reign titles and dates of emperors from dynasties like Ming, Yuan, Liao, and more. Various coin styles and scripts from different time periods are also described.

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    of 12

    How To Read

    CHINESE COINS
    PART I. David Ruckser dpaul7

    This chart will show the ORDER and DIRECTION that Chinese coins are read. Older coins might be read in CLOCKWISE Fashion. Starting at 12:00, then 3:00, 6:00, 9:00. Coins read Clock-wise will be marked as such.

    *NOTE: Older coins sometimes use a slightly different writing style. SEAL SCRIPT and RUNNING or GRASS script are two examples. I will try to show these variations.

    HOW TO USE THIS BOOK


    This book is arranged by DYNASTY. The Chinese NEVER used the name of the emperor on their coins that was Strictly Forbidden! Instead, they used a Reign Title such as Heavenly Peace, or Great Harmony. In the later Ming and Qing Dynasties, the emperor only had one reign title. In earlier times, an emperor would have two, three, or more reign titles. These titles would change as important events happened. Here is how each emperor will be shown:
    SHUN ZHI TONG BAO
    How to Read, Western-Style Letters.

    1644-1661 Emperor Shi Zu 1644-1661


    Date Coin Wsa MADE. Emperors Name Dates for Emperors Reign

    Chinese Letters On the Coin

    REMEMBER: Read the coin from TOP to BOTTOM; then RIGHT to LEFT. Do you see how it works? This coin uses the above example to show you.. SHUN ZHI TONG BAO. Now, you know the coin was made by Emperor Shi Zu, between the years 1644 and 1661. Better dating can be done but you need Hartills book CAST CHINESE COINS to do it! Sometimes, on older coins, the phrase TONG BAO becomes YUAN BAO or even something else! It all will translate into something meaning Good Money or True Money. Lets start with Chinas last Dynasty, and we will then go backward in time!

    QING DYNASTY: 1644-1911 SHUN ZHI TONG BAO KANG XI TONG BAO 1644-1661 Emperor Shi Zu 1661-1722 Emperor Sheng Zu 1644-1661 1661-1722 1723-1735 1736-1795 1795-1820

    YONG ZHENG TONG BAO 1723-1735 Emperor Shi Zong QIAN LONG TONG BAO JIA QING TONG BAO DAO GUANG TONG BAO XIAN FENG TONG BAO QI XIANG TONG BAO TONG ZHI TONG BAO GUANG XU TONG BAO XUAN TONG TONG BAO 1736-1795 Emperor Gao Zong 1796-1820 Emperor Ren Zong

    1821-1850 Emperor Xuan Zong 1821-1850 1851-1861 Emperor Wen Zong 1861 Emperor Mu Zong 1851-1861 1861-1874 1861-1874 1874-1908 1908-1912

    1862-1874 Emperor Mu Zong 1875-1908 Emperor De Zong 1908-1911 Emperor Pu Yi

    TAI PING REBELLION Rebel Hong Xiuquan -- 1812-1864 = TAI PING TIAN GUO = TAI PING TONG BAO

    Above are pictured examples of QING Dynasty coins. One emperor is missing! READ the coins to discover which Emperor is not shown! Below are examples from the TAI PING Rebellion. Also shown are some

    Now, lets make the older dynasty charts for you!

    PRE-QING: 1616-1627
    TIAN MING TONG BAO 1616-1627 NURHACHI (later Shi Zu) 1616-1627

    MING DYNASTY - 1368-1644


    DA ZHONG TONG BAO 1361-1368 Zhu Yuanzhang, as Prince of Wu later Emperor Tai Zu 1368-1698 Emperor Tai Zu 1368-1398

    HONG WU TONG BAO YONG LE TONG BAO XUAN DE TONG BAO

    1403-1410 Emperor Cheng Zu 1403-1424 1426-1435 Emperor Xuan Zong 1426-1435

    HONG ZHI TONG BAO 1488-1505 Emperor Xiao Zong 1488-1505 *NOTE: If the ZHI character has only 2 strokes, it is the Ming Dynasty coin. With 3 strokes, it is a Vietnamese product. reign. SHUI GUAN TONG BAO 1488-1505 *Shui Guan is a PLACE NAME, not

    DA DING TONG BAO ZHENG DE TONG BAO

    1488-1505 *Da Ding is a PLACE NAME, not reign.

    *Although no coins were issued with this period title, it is commonly found on amulets and sharms with a dragon and phoenix reverse, which are being made to this day. The tradition said that there were only two and a half genuine Zheng De coins in the Chinese Empire; carrying this coin on you could help you win at gambling!!!

    JIA JING TONG BAO

    1522-1567

    Emperor Shi Zong

    1522-1567

    LONG QING TONG BAO 1567-1572 WAN LI TONG BAO 1573-1620

    Emperor Mu Zong

    1567-1572

    Emperor Shen Zong 1573-1620

    TAI CHANG TONG BAO 1620 TIAN QI TONG BAO 1621-1627

    Emperor Guang Zong 1620 Emperor Xi Zong 1621-1627

    This reign title also existed earlier, under Yuan Rebels.


    CHONG ZHEN TONG BAO 1628-1644 Emperor Si Zong 1628-1644

    SOUTHERN MING and MING REBEL COINS:


    YONG CHANG TONG BAO 1644-1645 Rebel Li Zicheng, as Chuang Wang DA SHUN TONG BAO XING CHAO TONG BAO 1644-1647 Zhang Xianzhong, as Da Xi Guo Wang 1648-1657 Sun Kewang, as Ping Dong Wang

    HONG GUANG TONG BAO 1644-1645 Prince of Fu DA MING TONG BAO LONG WU TONG BAO YONG LI TONG BAO 1644-1646 Prince of Lu 1645-1646 Prince of Tang 1646-1659 Prince Yongming (later Prince of Gui)

    *Yong Li coins in seal script or running script are attributed to Koxinga 1651-1670.

    THE SAN FAN REBELLION


    LI YONG TONG BAO ZHAO WU TONG BAO 1674-1678 Wu Sangui 1678 Wu Sangui

    HONG HUA TONG BAO YU MIN TONG BAO

    1679-1681 Wu Shifan 1674-1676 Geng Jingzhong

    YUAN (MONGOL) DYNASTY - 1280-1368


    ZHONG TONG YUAN BAO 1260-1263 Emperor Shi Zu (Kublai Khan) 1260-1294

    *NOTE: COINS WITH MONGOL SCRIPT; ZHI YUAN TONG BAO, 1285-1294
    ZHI YUAN YUAN ZHEN YUAN ZHEN TONG BAO 1285-1294 Emperor Shi Zu (Kublai Khan) 1260-1294 YUAN BAO 1295-1296 Emperor Cheng Zong (Temur Oljeitu) 1294-1307 TONG BAO 1295-1296 Emperor Cheng Zong (Temur Oljeitu) 1294-1307

    *A Mongol Script Version: Ta De Tung Baw 1297-1307 for the above emperor. ZHI DA SHI DA DA YUAN DA YUAN YUAN BAO 1310-1311 Emperor Wu Zong (Khaishan) 1308-1311 TONG BAO 1310-1311 Emperor Wu Zong (Khaishan) 1308-1311 TONG BAO 1310-1311 Emperor Wu Zong (Khaishan) 1308-1311 ZHI BAO 1308-1311 Emperor Wu Zong (Khaishan) 1308-1311

    HUANG QING YUAN BAO 1312-1313 Emperor Ren Zong (Ayurbarwada) 1311-1320 TING YOU ZHI ZHI TAI DING TAI DING TAI DING TIAN LI ZHI SHUN YUAN TONG YUAN BAO 1314-1320 Emperor Ren Zong (Ayurbarwada) 1311-1320 YUAN BAO 1321-1323 Emperor Ying Zong (Shidebala) 1321-1323

    YUAN BAO 1324-1327 Emperor Taiding (Yesun Temur) 1323-1328 YUAN NIAN 1323 Emperor Taiding (Yesun Temur) 1323-1328

    TONG BAO 1324-1327 Emperor Taiding (Yesun Temur) 1323-1328 YUAN BAO 1329-1330 Emperor Wen Zong (Tugh Temur) 1329-1332 YUAN BAO 1330-1332 Emperor Wen Zong (Tugh Temur) 1329-1332 YUAN BAO 1333-1334 Emperor Shun (Toghon Temur) 1333-1368

    ZHI YUAN ZHI YUAN MU QING

    YUAN BAO 1335-1340 Emperor Shun (Toghon Temur) 1333-1368 TONG BAO 1335-1340 Emperor Shun (Toghon Temur) 1333-1368 TONG BAO 1341-1368 Emperor Shun (Toghon Temur) 1333-1368 TONG BAO 1350-1368 Emperor Shun (Toghon Temur) 1333-1368 ZHI BAO 1350-1368 Emperor Shun (Toghon Temur) 1333-1368

    ZHI ZHENG ZHI ZHENG

    YUAN REBELS
    LONG FENG TIAN YOU TIAN QI TONG BAO TONG BAO TONG BAO 1355-1366 Han Lin'er (Dynastic Name: Song) 1354-1357 Zhang Shicheng 1358 Xu Shouhui

    TIAN DING TONG BAO

    1359-1360 Xu Shouhui

    DA YI

    TONG BAO

    1360-1361 Chen Youliang

    MONGOL KHANS (Before Yuan Dynasty)


    DA CHAO TONG BAO c. 1206-1227 DA CHAO JIN HE *May have been a Liao Issue.

    or JIAO or ZHI CHAO BAN FEN c. 1230-1280 DA GUAN TONG BAO C. 1230-1280 *Distinguish from the Northern Song coins.

    THE TARTAR DYNASTIES


    *Note: The Tartar and Mongol Dynasties have coins which do NOT use Chinese characters.

    LIAO DYNASTY (907-1125)


    TIAN XIAN TONG BAO *Clockwise (927-937) Emperor Tai Zong (927-947) HUI TONG TONG BAO *Clockwise (938-947) Emperor Tai Zong (927-947) TIAN LU YING LI TONG BAO *Clockwise TONG BAO *Clockwise (947-951) Emperor Shi Zong (947-951) (951-969) Emperor Mu Zong (951-969) (969-982) Emperor Jing Zong (969-982) (983-1011) Emperor Sheng Zong (982-1011)

    BAO NING TONG BAO *Clockwise TONG HE YUAN BAO *Clockwise

    CHONG XI TONG BAO *Clockwise (1032-1055) Emperor Zing Zong (1031-1055) QING NING TONG BAO *Clockwise XIAN YONG TONG BAO *Clockwise (1055-1064) Emperor Dao Zong (1055-1101) (1075-1074) Emperor Dao Zong (1055-1101)

    DA KANG DA KANG DA AN

    YUAN BAO *Clockwise TONG BAO *Clockwise YUAN BAO *Clockwise

    (1055-1064) Emperor Dao Zong (1055-1101) (1055-1064) Emperor Dao Zong (1055-1101) (1085-1094) Emperor Dao Zong (1055-1101)

    SHOU CHANG YUAN BAO *Clockwise (1095-1101) Emperor Dao Zong (1055-1101) QIAN TONG YUAN BAO *Clockwise (1101-1110) Emperor Tian Zuo (1111-1120) TIAN QING YUAN BAO *Clockwise (1111-1120) Emperor Tian Zuo (1111-1120)

    STATE OF QI (1130-1137)
    All The Issues Below are for the ruler Liu Yu (1130-1137) Reign Title = Fu Chang FU CHANG YUAN BAO Seal Script *clockwise FU CHANG YUAN BAO Regular Script *clockwise FU CHANG TONG BAO Seal Script t p i r c S r a l u g e R O A B G N O T G N A H C U F t p i r c S l a e S O A B G N O H Z G N A H C U F t p i r c S r a l u g e R O A B G N O H Z G N A H C U F

    WESTERN XIA (1032-1227)


    *NOTE: These coins are read CLOCKWISE, starting from the top.
    DA AN YUAN DE TONG BAO 1074-1084 TONG BAO 1119-1126 Emperor Hui Zong (1068-1086) Emperor Chong Zong (1086-1139)

    DA DE

    TONG BAO 1135-1139

    Emperor Chong Zong (1086-1139) Emperor Ren Zong 1139-1193

    TIAN SHENG YUAN BAO 1149-1169 ***READS CLOCKWISE QIAN YOU TONG BAO 1139-1193 TIAN QING YUAN BAO 1194-1206 HUANG JIAN YUAN BAO 1210-1211 GUANG DING TUAN BAO 1211-1223

    Emperor Ren Zong 1139-1193 Emperor Huan Zong 1194-1206 Emperor Ziang Zong 1206-1211 Emperor Shen Zong 1211-1223

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