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A must have: David Hartill's catalogue "Cast Chinese Coins"
Hartill, David: Qing Cash.
Royal Numismatic Society Special Publication no. 37, 2003.
During the Chinese Qing dynasty (1644-1911), millions of square-holed 'cash'
coins were produced each year. The use of individual mint names and privy marks
for sub-mints on the coins, and ever-changing economic conditions led to great
variety in the coin types issued by the dynasty. The conquest of Xinjiang, and
the Taiping rebellion also contributed to the variety of coins. This book is the
first to deal with the coins of the dynasty as a whole, and to address many
problems of chronology and attribution that have not hitherto been considered.
The introductory chapters discuss the general historical background and the
manufacture and use of cash. This leads into a methodology for dating cash more
precisely than has previously been attempted. A detailed catalogue of the coins
follows this. Coins of the rebels and pretenders not bearing a mint name are
considered first; then issues with a mint name are discussed and listed province
by province. The history and production of each mint are illustrated by
quotations from contemporary documents. Lastly, coin-like amulets and
presentation pieces not intended for general circulation are illustrated.
Overall, some 2,100 different coins are listed. A number of appendices guide
those not familiar with Chinese through the differences between the Pinyin and
Wade romanisations.
Thierry, François: Catalogue des Monnaies Chinoises-I.
Cabinet des Médailles. Paris, 1997.
This is a catalogue of the Chinese coins in the collection of Cabinet des Médailles
in Paris.
This first volume covers the period up to the end of the Qin dynasty. It is the
most accurate catalogue in a Western language so far, based mainly on
archaeological evidence. In it you will find the answer to many problems, fro
example regarding the pre-Han Ban Liang. Volume II has 1600 coins and covers the
period from Qin dynasty to the Five Dynasties Period.
We can only pray they will be translated to English.
The catalogues can be bought by contacting the Commercial Board and Bookstore of
the
National Library in Paris: commercial@bnf.fr.
Price: Vol. I:
85 € vat and postage included.
Price: Vol. II:
85€ vat and postage included.
Literature used for this site:
A, Xiang: Qianfan Mingci Qianshi. Zhongguo Qianbi no. 2 1986. p. 66-67, 38.
Barnard, Noel and Sato,
Tamotsu: Metallurgical Remains of Ancient China.
Nichiosa, Tokyo 1975.
Bowker, H.F.: A Han Dynasty Coin Mold. The Numismatist, no. 3, March
1952, p. 239-241.
Chao, Kang: Man and Land
in Chinese History. Stanford University Press 1986.
Coole, Arthur Braddan: Coins in China's History. Inter-Collegiate Press,
Inc. 1965.
Dai, Zhiqiang and Zhou,
Weirong: A Study of the Pieces of Bronzes used as Primitive Currency
in Ancient China. International Congress of History and Science in China 8,
Berlin 1998.
Glahn, Richard von: Fountain of Fortune. Money and Monetary Policy in China,
1000-1700.
University of California Press, California, 1996.
Guojia Jiliang Zongju a.o.: Zhongguo
Gudai Duliang Heng Tuji.
Wenwu Chubanshe, Beijing 1984.
International Numismatic Commission: Survey of Numismatic Research
1960-1965 p. 289, 1966-1971 p. 339-341, 1972-1977 p. 480-488,
1978-1984 p. 784-819, 1985-1990 p. 702-738, 1990-1995 p. 791-805.
Kann, Eduard: The Currencies of China, An investigation of Gold and Silver
Transactions Affecting China With a Section on Copper.
Sanford J. Durst, New York 1978, originally published Shanghai 1926.
Luo, Zhufeng, chief ed.: Hanyu Da Cidian. Index-volume.
Xianggang: San Lian Shudian Xianggang Fendian, 1987-1995.
Meng Guohua: Guilin Faxian Qian Xi Hejin Qian.
Zhongguo Qianbi No. 3. 1994 (Vol. 46.)
Meng, Guohua: Guilin Faxian Qian Xi Hejin Qian. Zhongguo Qianbi No. 3.
1994 (Vol. 46.)
Peng, Xinwei: A Monetary
History of China. vol I. and II.
(Translated from the Chinese original Zhongguo Huobi Shi 1965
by Kaplan, Edward H.) 1994 Western Washington University.
Tang, Wenxing: Wo Guo Gudai Ji Zhong Huobi de Zhuzao Jishu.
Zhong Yuan Wenwu. no. 2, 1983, p. 74-78.
Wagner, Donald B.: Iron
and Steel in Ancient China. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1993.
Wang, Yü-ch'üan: Early Chinese Coinage.
Sanford J. Durst, New York 1980. First published 1951.
Wilkinson, Endymion: Chinese History, a Manual. Revised and enlarged.
Harvard University Press 2000.
Yang, Lien-sheng: Money and Credit in China, a Short History.
Harvard University Press. Cambridge 1971.
Catalogues:
Ding, Fubao: Lidai Guqian Tushuo. Shanghai Renmin Chubanshe 1992/1996.
Covers all periods. Rubbings, information on each type in classical Chinese.
Fugo, Senshi, trans. by
Gorny, Norman F.: Northern Song Dynasty Cash Variety Guide - Volume 1.
Privately published, Portland Oregon 2001. Introduction
from translator.
Hua, Guangpu: Zhongguo
Guqian Mulu. Xinjiang Renmin Chubanshe. 1996.
Covers all periods. Rubbings, no information about the coins.
Krause Chester L. and
Mishler, Clifford: Standard catalogue of World Coins: 1601-1700.
Krause publ. U.S.A, 1999. Covers Ming from Wan Li to Qing up to Kang Xi.
Krause Chester L. and
Mishler, Clifford: Standard catalogue of World Coins: 1701-1800.
Krause publ. U.S.A, 1997. Covers Qing from Kang Xi to Jia Qing.
Krause Chester L. and
Mishler, Clifford: Standard catalogue of World Coins: 1801-1900.
Krause publ. U.S.A. 1996. Covers Jia Qing to Guang Xu.
Jen, David: Chinese Cash, Identification and Price Guide. Krause Publ.
US. 2000.
Covers all periods. Impractical organization, but lots of useful information in English. Review:
www.charm.ru.
Schjöth, Fr.: The
Currency of the Far East. London: Luzac & Co., Oslo: H. Aschehoug &
Co. 1929.
Covers from Zhou to Guang Xu. Much useful information, but some of it outdated.
Schjöth's catalogue numbers are still the most common in dealers pricelists.
Thierry, François: Catalogue des Monnaies Chinoises-I.
Cabinet des Médailles. Paris, 1997.
This is a catalogue of the Chinese coins in the collection of Cabinet des Médailles
in Paris.
This first volume covers the period up to the end of the Qin dynasty. It is the
most accurate catalogue in a Western language so far, based mainly on
archaeological evidence. In it you will find the answer to many problems, fro
example regarding the pre-Han Ban Liang. Volume II has 1600 coins and covers the
period from Qin dynasty to the Five Dynasties Period.
We can only pray they will be translated to English.
The catalogues can be bought by contacting the Commercial Board and Bookstore of
the
National Library in Paris: commercial@bnf.fr.
Price: Vol. I:
85 € vat and postage included.
Price: Vol. II:
85€ vat and postage included.
David Hartill's catalogue "Cast Chinese Coins" The best catalogue available for Chinese coins!
Hartill, David: Qing Cash.
Royal Numismatic Society Special Publication no. 37, 2003.
During the Chinese Qing dynasty (1644-1911), millions of square-holed 'cash'
coins were produced each year. The use of individual mint names and privy marks
for sub-mints on the coins, and ever-changing economic conditions led to great
variety in the coin types issued by the dynasty. The conquest of Xinjiang, and
the Taiping rebellion also contributed to the variety of coins. This book is the
first to deal with the coins of the dynasty as a whole, and to address many
problems of chronology and attribution that have not hitherto been considered.
The introductory chapters discuss the general historical background and the
manufacture and use of cash. This leads into a methodology for dating cash more
precisely than has previously been attempted. A detailed catalogue of the coins
follows this. Coins of the rebels and pretenders not bearing a mint name are
considered first; then issues with a mint name are discussed and listed province
by province. The history and production of each mint are illustrated by
quotations from contemporary documents. Lastly, coin-like amulets and
presentation pieces not intended for general circulation are illustrated.
Overall, some 2,100 different coins are listed. A number of appendices guide
those not familiar with Chinese through the differences between the Pinyin and
Wade romanisations.
Additional reading:
Search
result on Chinese
coins from American
Numismatic Society's database (size 432 kb!).
ANS
database search.
The most important journal
about Chinese coins is the Zhongguo Qianbi. Many articles from Zhongguo Qianbi
can be found in the database of American Numismatic Society (see link above).
The titles of the articles are translated to English. Note that Zhongguo Qianbi
is in the database translated China Numismatics.
Further reading on spades:
Coole, Arthur Braddan: Pointed Spade Coins of the Chou Dynasty. 1975.
Coole, Arthur Braddan: Spade coin Types of the Chou Dynasty. 1972/1973.
Coole, Arthur Braddan: The Early Coins of the Chou Dynasty. 1973.
These books have rubbings and pictures of very many types.
Further reading on knives:
Coole, Arthur Braddan: Ch`i Heavy Sword Coins and Debatable Pieces of the
Chou Era. 1976.
Coole, Arthur Braddan: State of Ming Knife Coins and Minor Knife Coins.
1976.
Coole, Arthur Braddan: The Early Coins of the Chou Dynasty. 1973.
These books have rubbings and pictures of very many types.
Further reading on early
round coins:
Coole, Arthur Braddan: Earliest Round Coins of China. 1981.
This book have very many types.
Articles
in Chinese on Three Kingdoms:
Archaeological Station at Honghuatao: Excavation of the Eastern Han
Dynasty and Three Kingdoms Tombs at Baojintou, Qianping, Yichang, Hubei.
Kaogu no. 9 (1990), p. 815-830. 1990.
Wang, Guichen. A Trial Discussion on the Coinage Problem of the Three
Kingdoms of Emperor Sunquan. Zhongguo Qianbi no. 3 (1983), p. 21-24.1983.
Articles
in Chinese on Jin (A.D. 265-420):
Zhou, Kunning: The Money Economy and Coins in the 16-Kingdom Period of
the Jin Dynasty.
Zhoushan Qianbi; No. 3, 1995. p. 19-23.
Ma, Xinhua. An Introduction to the Numismatic Works From Wei and Jin to Sui
and Tang dynasties.
Zhongguo Qianbi no. 2 (1990) no. 29, p. 4-8, 66.
Articles
in Chinese on Five dynasties and Ten States:
Du, Wenyu: On Some Problems of the
Currency Economy of the Five Dynasties Period.
Zhongguo Qianbi no. 2 (1988) no. 21, p. 28-34.
Jiang, Jiuru: The Money of Fujian Province of the Five Dynasties Ten States
Period.
Zhongguo Qianbi. 4 (1987) no. 19, p. 25-30.
Literature for Bei coins of the Chu state:
Hubei sheng Jingzhou bowuguan: Jingzhou Tianxingguan er hao Chumu. Wenwu.
Beijing 2003.
Hubei sheng wenwu kaogu yanjiusuo: Jiangling Wangshan Shazhong Chumu. Wenwu.
Beijing 1996.
Henan sheng wenwu kaogu yanjiusuo bianzhu: Xincai Geling Chumu. Daxiang.
Zhengzhou 2003.
Jingmen shi bowuguan bian: Guodian Chumu zhujian. Wenwu. Beijing 1998.