These are both new purchases. There are three coins in the set, but I have only bought two of them. I am eying an example of the third, but monies are a limiter.
Now some background info.
The Northern Wei Dynasty split is 535 AD into the Eastern and Western Wei Dynasties.
The Eastern Wei became the Northern Qi. Yuwen Tai was a high-ranking general of the Western Wei dynasty. After his death in 556, his nephew, Yuwen Hu, forced Emperor Gong of the Western Wei to abdicate the throne to Yuwen Tai's son, Yuwan Jue. This event established the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Yuwen Hu dominated the rule of the Northern Zhou under three puppet emperors, who were Yuwen Tai's sons: Emperor Xiaomin (Yuwen Jue), Emperor Ming, and Emperor Wu. Yuwen Hu maintained his dominance until he was killed in an ambush by Emperor Wu in 572, and he assumed total control over the Northern Zhou.
Emperor Wu was an effective ruler, which allowed him to conquer the Northern Qi in 577. Wu died a year later in 578, which allowed his son Emperor Xuan, to take the throne. He was a violent and arbitrary ruler, which brought the Northern Zhou to its demise. He died two years later in 580, and his son, Emperor Jing, assumed the throne. Xuan's father-in-law, Yang Jian, seized the throne in 581 and established the Sui dynasty. The entirety of the Yuwen family was then slaughtered.
The coin I do not have is the most common one (go figure!). It was a Bu Quan, a denomination revived from Wang Mang's failed coinage. It's inscription literally translates to "Spade Coin," but it had no relationship to any spades. It was to circulate concurrecntly with Wu Zhus at a valu of 5 Wu Zhus, or 25 Zhu. This was issued in 561 by Emperor Wu, and it was withdrawn in 576 due to counterfeiting and unpopularity (which was a common fate of these fudiciary issues).
The next coin is a Wu Xing Da Bu (top, bottom, right, left), which translates to "Currency of the Five Elements" [metal, wood, water, fire, and earth]. This was issued by Emperor Wu in 574 at a value of ten Bu Quans, or 50 Wu Zhu, or 250 Zhu. Immense counterfeiting took place, and these coins were very unpopular. Despite stringent anti-counterfeiting laws, the government gave up and withdrew these coins as well in 576.
Lastly is, in my opinion, the most beautiful coin ever cast for circulation by China. This is a Yong Tong Wan Guo (top, bottom, right, left), which translates to "The Everlasting Currency of the Empire." These were issued in 580 by Emperor Xuan at a value of 10 Wu Cing Da Bu coins, or 500 Wu Zhu, or 2500 Zhu. The nominal weight of these coins is only 12 zhu, so they were quite inflated. These were cast until the fall of the Northern Zhou in 581. Such a short duration makes them rather scarce.
It is worth noting that these coins are very rarely found with any substantial wear, meaning that they did not circulate much, just like Wng Mang's coins. Both of these coins were purchased from Scott Semans.
Posted 07/09/2016 8:15 pm
