I know there was a similar story posted like this. Looks like another few tons have surfaced. https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2017/10/56-tons-of-ancient-coins-unearthed.html
It seems like every year or two we find another 2 to 5 ton Chinese cash coin hoard, plus thousands of individual coins. Only 2 years ago a huge 10+ ton hoard was discovered. And then you wonder why some 2,000 year old Chinese coins only cost $4 Dollars. It appears the ancient Chinese were probably casting tens of millions of these bronze coins every year. How else do you explain their abundance and the frequent occurrences of these huge hoards? I bet the mintage rates, had we had the figures, would be mind blowing. I'm willing to bet over 10,000,000 coins in the slowest years, and perhaps over 20,000,000 a year during times when the empire needed to fund wars. Repeat that for 2,000+ years and the numbers get astronomical...at least 20,000,000,000 cash coins minted, and maybe as high as 30,000,000,000 could be possible. Funny enough, China does not officially allow any export of ancient Chinese coins, even though thousands go west every year through Hong Kong and illicitly. I wonder what they do with those thousands they don't want exported? What museum is prepared to house a 10 ton hoard of super common Chinese Cash coins?
I don't know if mintage figures have survived from the Song dynasty, but Hartill does quote some figures from the Qian Long reign (1736-95). Here's some of the figures he gives (keep in mind that a "string" is 1,000 cash coins): "Casting by the Board of Revenue mint rose to over 900,000 strings a year, but was slashed to 374,940 strings in 1794 while the reforms were being put in place.... Casting by the Board of Works averaged some 500,000 strings a year. In 1794, casting was reduced to 187,470 strings...The Fujian mint had 8 furnaces which cast 48,532 strings a year...The Guangdong mint cast around 34,000 strings a year..." And so forth (I'm skipping some mints). It adds up to nearly 2,000,000,000 coins _per year_ in the late 1700s.
I actually saw huge amounts of ancient cash coins in various museums across China. Some were individual coins, some were in huge piles. Some of the coolest items I saw were the amazing Cast vessels and animals in their VERY early history: Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties... some incredible Tripod Bronze vessels from Shang dynasty; pottery from Xia, etc. Just amazing the Bronze Casting technology they possessed that has not been duplicated even today. Bronze casting was being done 1600 BCE. I have a cool Bronze Water Buffalo replica from that period that I bought in China I bought in Yuan, when I was not SUPPOSED to hold Yuan... (Foreigners were only allowed to hold FEC). The detail on it is incredible. SONG COINS: China Song Dynasty 10th-12th C CE AE Gaming Token 29mm 6.42g Zhui Feng Zhi Ma-horse following wind- - Horse galloping left - Classic Chinese Charms Vol I 2149 China Song AE one Cash 960-1127 Yuan Bao gray China Northern Song 960-1127 CE Huang Song Tong Bao 1038 CE H 16.113 China Northern Song 960-1127 CE Huang Song Tong Bao 1038 CE H 16.99
Does anybody know where you can buy ancient Chinese coins for cheap? Also specificly the later Zhou dynasty ones (the ones that are melted down from Buddha statues correct?)? I'd like one from each dynasty I have one from that dynasty thanks to @Sallent but I would like to buy some more as they are supposed to bring good luck! Thanks,
Many types of Chinese coins are already very common so I doubt it but finds of hoards do occasionally significantly lower the value of certain coins. Cassius tripod denarii for instance. This example sold for about $5700 + fees in May of 2009. This example sold for about $2300+fees in May of 2017. What happened? A hoard full of high grade uncirculated examples was unearthed and collectors have realized that, so prices have fallen. A coin that used to be one of the rarest types of Cassius is now one of the most common. This could happen with any type of rare coin honestly.
I have literally a handful of these NS, here is one of them. Northern Song Dynasty, yuan you tong bao, seal script, 1087-1100 AD Emperor Zhe Zong, AE cash, 25 mm, 3.4 g, reverse blank. Hartill 16.261 How many handfuls are in that 5.6 ton hoard?
