CHINA XINJIANG XIAN FENG ZHONG BAO 8 cash 1855-57 AD Dihua Urumqi mint
$220.00
CHINA, XINJIANG, QING Dynasty, 1644-1911 AD, 8 cash, no date (1855-57 AD), Dihua (Urumqi), Obverse: XIAN FENG ZHONG BAO, Reverse: DANG BA top-bottom, BOO DI right-left, copper, 26mm, 6.81g, H22.1103, C29-1, dirty aF
1 in stock
Description
The odd 8 cash denomination was created to facilitate trade, at the time 8 cash to the fen (cent). As you can see, this one had 2 cash worth of metal in it.
The Xian Feng period was chaotic, with the Second Opium War and the Tai Ping Rebellion causing massive losses of life and money.
Xinjiang (Sinkiang) is the western region of China. Dominant ethnic groups are historically Turkic and Mongol, including Uighurs and Kyrghiz. Coinage is at least as old as the 5th century AD, and has included both Chinese and Islamic manufacturing methods and styles.
The oldest Chinese coins are at least as old as the earliest Greek coins. The Chinese coinage system differed from other systems in two ways. It was monometallic, only bronze coins circulated in general commerce. Gold and silver were treated as commodities. And the manufacturing method was by casting in moulds rather than by striking heated solid planchets. The main reference I use in attributing and describing these coins is the book: Chinese Cast Coins, by David Hartill.
