Museums Home BMAGiC Home Search Browse BMAGiC Help About BMAGiC Contact Us
           

Chinese Knife Money of the State of Ming

View main imageView larger image
© Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery

Additional Images

Click on each image below to view at full size:
View image 2 

Basic Information

Accession Number:1935C547.602
Collection:Antiquities - Ancient & Mediaeval Coins
Date:480 BC - 255 BC

Notes

The first 'coins' made in China seem to have been miniature bronze hoes (or spades) produced by the kingdom of Zhou in the early sixth century BC. Soon other states were making hoes or coins shaped like model knives. This one comes from the city of Ming, in the modern Shaanxi province. The first emperor, Qin Shi Huangdi, banned these early coins and replaced them by round coins with a square hole in the centre.

Thomas G Barnett Bequest, 1935.

Further Information

Material(s):Bronze
Denomination:Cash - knife money
Currency:China
Place of Origin:Ming, Shaanxi province, China

Associated Places

Dimensions

Height:135 mm
Width:17 mm