For many centuries China has been the mint model for coins of the far east, producing cast round coins with a square in countless varieties, denominations and metals over a vast geographical area. It was not until the Goryeo (Koryeo) dynasty that cash coins began to circulate on the Koryeo peninsula. The first types came in the form of imported trade cash cast by China's Song Dynasty( AD 960-1279), ending a long tradition of barter, where rice and linen were the commodities of the day. The first native coins of Koryeo are thought to have been cast in Bronze and Iron in the 15th year of the reign of King Songjong (AD 996). These coins are thought to be recovered somewhere near the northeast frontier of China. The coin is a bit of a mystery to us today. The coin is cast in likeness of a earlier Tang China coin, with the addition of characters on the reverse. (kon won chung bo / tong guk) There are no recorded examples of the coin prior to a Japanese catalog written in 1938 which list the coin as Koryeo. There are no historical references to the coin and record of their manufacture. Scholar believe that the coin may have been cast by a (by then) defunct Chinese state Bohai, and again no record exists. The very short period (AD 998 - 1009) saw the production of a single coin (kae won tong bo), identical to a coin produced by the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century AD, this coin did not survive and the peninsula returned the ages old system of barter. Between AD 1097 - 1107, King Sukjong (r. AD 1095-1105) sought to establish a cash based society and cast native coins in Bronze and Brass of three types. (Tong Guk "Eastern Country"), (Hae Dong "Eastern Sea") and (Sam Han"Three States"). These were modeled on the circulating coins of the Northern Song (AD 960-1127). He also issued a large silver coin weighing 600 grams and no known specimens survive. The specimen I will show you here today was acquired from no where but an Asian coin dealer in China on ebay. Having shown the coin to an expert on another board, who in turn gave me the thumbs up, I feel quite confident this is the real McCoy. I sought this early coin out for my OEAC (One of Each Ancient Culture) collection. This coin was cast in the 7th year of the reign of King Sukjong (AD 1097) and circulated until AD 1105. The coin is written in Chinese Seal Script and reads clockwise starting in the 12 o'clock position, Hae Dong Tong Bo, which can be translated as Currency or Treasure of the East Sea. This refers to a land east of the Yellow Sea. Shortly after this coin was cast, Koryeo yet again returned to the barter system. Coins would make another brief appearance at the beginning of the Joseon period (AD1392-1897), coins were cast from AD 1392- 1425 before the system was abandoned again for barter. Coinage did not fully take hold on until the 3rd year of the reign of King Ingo. (AD 1625) North Korea, Kaesong King Sukjong of Goryeo (r. AD 1095-1105) AE Cash (c. AD 1097- 1105) 25 mm x 4.42 grams Obverse: Hae Dong Tong Bo (Seal script) "Treasure of the Eastern Sea" Reverse: Blank Note: Scarce to Rare. Casting fault on reverse. Thanks to Primal Trek for summing up the coins interesting history and wikipedia for the image of the map.
I didn't even know Korea minted those cash coins. I have a few Chinese cash coins but they ain't too high on my collecting list.
Very cool! This is from only the third issue of coinage in Korea. I think Hartill 6.6? The size is closer to 6.4, but that has a long cap on the Bo.
excellent coin and write up AN! i wouldn't have recognized it for what it is, i would think it another northern song coin. kind of amazing that coinage didn't take off there until the 17th century. i don't have a single korean coin, but here is a contemporary(ish) chinese yuan feng tong bao...also seal script. the hole looks wierd because there is another coin behind it, came as two stuck together. can't find my separate pic for some reason.
Fantastic write-up (thanks for the effort, brother) ... Yah, for some reason I still haven't pulled the trigger on one of these Asian cash coins ... I guess I haven't seen the right example yet? (ummm, are there any examples with animals on 'em?)
