Bronze Cash Coin Emperor Tang Gaozu (ca. 618-907 AD | Ancient China)

Kaiyuan Tongbao – the bronze cash coin with which Emperor Tang Gaozu reinvented China's monetary system

A piece of imperial history you can hold in your hand: this Chinese cash coin made of bronze dates from the Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) and bears the most famous inscription in East Asian numismatic history – Kaiyuan Tongbao (開元通寶). Four characters, a square hole in the centre, a warm, naturally grown patina. Nothing more is needed to bridge over a thousand years.

This coin type was introduced in the year 621 under Emperor Tang Gaozu, the founder of the dynasty, who was originally named Li Yuan, overthrew the Sui dynasty in 618, and ruled until his abdication in 626. What he decreed at the time was far more than a new coin: it was a change of system. Until then, the value of Chinese coins had been determined by their weight – from the Kaiyuan Tongbao onward, the state determined the value. A concept that seems self-evident to us today, and one that had its premiere in China around 1,400 years ago.

Why this coin should be part of every history collection

The inscription roughly translates as "circulating treasure of the beginning of a new era." It is read in the classical order top – bottom – right – left and was designed by Ouyang Xun, one of China's most famous calligraphers. For the first time ever, a renowned calligrapher designed the appearance of a Chinese coin – a detail that still fascinates collectors today.

• Material: bronze or copper alloy – not struck, but cast in moulds according to Chinese tradition

• Diameter: 24 mm

• Raw weight: 2.6 g

• Face value: 1 Cash – the basic unit of ancient China

• Country of issue: China, Tang dynasty

• Condition: circulated coinage with authentic signs of use. These pieces were actual currency in circulation and carry corresponding traces: darker patina, individual centring, nicks, wear, and in places weaker legend details. That is exactly what makes them appealing. Since the year of minting, mint, and reverse variant can differ, the piece delivered will differ from the image shown – you receive an original, not a mass-produced item. Please understand that the image in the shop serves as an example and may differ individually from the delivered item in terms of appearance and condition due to historical circumstances.

The square hole served a purely practical purpose: hundreds of such cash coins were strung together on cords and transported as a "string." This is precisely why many pieces show wear – every nick, every tone tells of the marketplace, of caravan trade, of everyday life in a world power. The reverse of this type is, as a rule, plain and without inscription.

From the imperial court to Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

The Kaiyuan Tongbao was not produced at a single location, but in numerous state foundries throughout the empire – initially around Chang'an, present-day Xi'an, the starting point of the Silk Road, and later also in Luoyang and many provincial towns. This type remained in production for over 280 years. Its influence extended far beyond China: the coinage of Japan, Korea, the Ryūkyū Islands, and Vietnam adopted its form and inscription logic for centuries.

Gold is the oldest currency of mankind – yet the money that people held in their hands every day for centuries was bronze. This cash coin is an original from exactly that world.

Who this piece is suited for

1. Newcomers to ancient numismatics: a genuine, over 1,100-year-old original – without the entry barriers that many ancient silver or gold coins bring with them.

2. Theme collectors: an ideal addition to Roman bronze coins, Celtic coinage, or later Chinese cash coins from the Ming and Qing periods.

3. Fans of tangible assets: a tangible, independently existing collector's value made of metal, requiring nothing more than a display case.

Compared to a modern bullion coin made of gold or silver, the focus here is not on fineness but on historical substance: the value of this bronze cash coin derives from age, rarity of condition, and cultural significance. Those seeking pure precious metal weight, on the other hand, will find classic bars and bullion coins for that purpose – both complement each other perfectly in a well-considered collection.

As this is historical circulated coinage, the variant, patina, and level of detail vary from piece to piece. That is exactly what makes it appealing: you do not receive a mass-produced item, but an individual witness to time from China's golden age. Securely packaged and dispatched as insured shipping.