Zhu Coins

The weight unit zhu is described on the page about weights and units. Wu Zhu means five zhu. Many millions were cast in the Han dynasty, and was used up to the Sui dynasty. There are also Si Zhu which means four zhu and Liu Zhu which means six zhu.

Western Han.

Han Wu Zhu. 3,9 gr. 

 
Han Wu Zhu. 3,1 gr. 

 
Han Wu Zhu. 2,7 gr.

Wu Zhu with a dot over the hole.

  
Schjöth 300 Ding 654. Wu Zhu with horizontal extra wu on top. 3,0 gr.

Schjöth 258. Wu Zhu. Notice the dot at inner rim below. 2,7 gr.

Ding 597. Schjöth 208. "Chicken eye" Wu Zhu. 0,8 gr.

Semi-finished Wu Zhu. 4,8 gr. 27 m.m.
The two parts of the mold have not been aligned properly. 

Eastern Han.

 
Ren 62. Wu Zhu. Notice the line on the top side of the square hole. 2,3 gr.

Wu Zhu with a bar like the coin above, and with an extra wu character below. No references.

Variant of Wu Zhu. No references, I put it here because of the similar thin rim as above.

S 178a, Ding 511. Si Chu Wu Zhu . 3,7 gr. 
Issued by emperor Ling Di (A.D. 168-189) Zhongping 3 (A.D. 186). 
There are four lines radiating out from the center on the obverse.

 
Schjöth 179. Ding 512. Si Chu Wu Zhu . 3,5 gr. 
Issued by emperor Ling Di (A.D. 168-189) Zhongping 3 (A.D. 186).
There are four lines radiating out from the center on the obverse.

Schjöth 306. Clipped Wu Zhu. Inner part 0,85 gr.

Schjöth 304. Clipped Wu Zhu. Outer part 2,0 gr. 

Jin.

 
Ding 550. 1,0 gr. Shen Lang Wu Zhu was cast by Shen Chong around A.D. 317. 
The left part of the Zhu character is omitted.

Southern and Northern Dynasties.

A.D. 420-478 Song.


Schjöth 215 Ding 562. Si Zhu. 1,9 gr.

Schjöth 218 Ding 567. Xiao Jian Si Zhu . Very light light and thin, 0,72 gr. 

A.D. 502-556  Liang.


Schjöth 232. Iron Wu Zhu with rays on the reverse. 2,3 gr.
Issued by emperor Wu Di in 523.

 
Schjöth 233 Ding 588. Wu Zhu with two dots. 2,8 gr.

A.D. 557-588  Chen

Ding 587. Wu Zhu. Issued by emperor Wen Di in 562. 2,9 gr.

A.D. 386-534  Northern Wei.


Schjöth 237. Ding 600. Tai He Wu Zhu. 2,6 gr.

Schjöth 239. Yong An Wu Zhu. 2,3 gr.

A.D. 550-577  Northern Qi.
 
Schjöth 242. Chang Ping Wu Zhu.  3,3 gr.
Peng p. 229: Northern Qi minted the Chang Ping Five grainer in Tian Piaos 4. year (A.D.553). This coin was finely made, its size up to the standard, and so its value was relatively high. But official gifts were not kept within limits, taxes must have had to be increased, and so the histories say that even before the Chang Ping five grainer had been issued, private coining of it was flourishing, and within a year or two excesses were being committed.

Sui.

 
Schjöth 253. Wu Zhu. 1,9 gr. Notice the vertical bar to the left of the Wu character.

 
Schjöth 253. Wu Zhu. 2,4 gr. Notice the vertical bar to the left of the Wu character.