Ancient Chinese Qi Knife

Here is a knife coin that is not seen too often, but it is by no moeans rare. Due to their large size impressive style, they have become very popular and fetch much higher prices than what their rarity suggests.

This coin has been broken at the handle, which is why it was largely ignored in the auction lot I got it in. Otherwise, I would not have been able to afford an example of a Qi knife. Looking at the break, one can see how the metal has crystalized, meaning that this coin has been buried for many centuries. The glue repair is very old and was there when I bought it. Everyone I have shown this coin to says it is genuine, and I agree.

The Qi Knives were cast by the state of Qi during the late Warring States Period, likely 350 BC to 250 BC. These coins are of a higher quality than anything else from Ancient China, with the high, well-formed rims and complex inscription. If these dated from before 400 BC, one would expect a very simple inscription of one character like those on spade coins and other knife coins. These are never seen with fewer than three characters, and are known to have four, five, and six characters. The rarity of Qi knives increases with the number of characters in the inscription.

The reverse always has a character that represents a mintmark or cyclical character. This character does not affect value or rarity.

The obverse reads "Qi Fa Hua," or "The [official] Currency of Qi."

 

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Thanks for teaching me something new; very cool!

 

Very interesting.

 

Let me guess the price:

$30

 

Indirectly.

 

Its a nice example even with the break, which I assume can be professionally repaired.

I wish I could find them that cheap! The last one I had I sold at the Hong Kong auction where it realized about $800.

 

Super cool 'knife coins'!!!

Yikes !!! I never would've guessed that high a value....

 

And it is not uncommon to see common 3-character knives fetch in the neighborhood of $2000. Just for reference, Hartill assigns a value of $150 for these knives, and 5-10 years ago they sold for that. There is no real explanation why the value has skyrocketed like it has.

 

I have a very modest, and probably very common Ming currency knife...but, HEY! I am on my way to collecting Ancient Chinese!


China
Ming currency knife - Bronze
400-220 BCE
Chime Stone Shape
Ref: Hartill 4.42-3; Zhongguo Qianbi Da Ci Dian 577; Fisher-Ding 342; Schjoth 52-61

 

I had no idea this type of currency existed, very interesting!

 

@Alegandron

That is still a very nice specimen.

You may also be intrigued that the character on the reverse is "Xing," which means "Crossroads." In fact, if you look at the character, it looks like a drawing of an intersection.

I have one too. It is my favorite Ming Knife variety.

 

Duplicate post.

 

So basically this was money, and if someone tried to steal it you attacked them with it.
Right?

 

Cool on the Xing character. Thanks for the info! I am just starting to delve into this area, but it is fascinating for me. I already have a small foot Spade, a Western Han 4 Shu w/ Hanger, and several early cast... but, just getting started.

 

What differentiated these coins from actual knives is their lack of sturdiness (no reinforcing metal structures) and lack of sharpness. So, no, these would not have been effective in an attack.

 

Very nice! The 4-zhu is actually attributed to the Sui Dynasty (589-618 AD) or the times slightly earlier during another time of warring kindgdoms called The Division of North and South.

 

The Southern Liu Song Dynasty during the Northern Southern Dynasties period preceding the Sui. Whilst the Han did have a 4 Zhu equivalent, it was more of a weighted variant whilst the legends were still left as 5 Zhu.

 

Yes! I am corrected. It was misattributed, but when I recorded into my Hartill book, it states Sui 581-618 CE.


China
Sui Dynasty
589-619 CE
AE 15.0x10.3mm, 1.89g
4 Zhu
Obv: Yan Xiang
Rev: Shi Zhu
Ref: Similar to Hartill 13.53 but with "hanger" below; Unlisted
Rare

 

I corrected my pics...I did not have the Reverse pic in my original post.

 

Nice PIECE @Alegandron.. Though I Think Your piece might even be a Hartill 13.57 from the Northern Southern Dynasties instead of Sui. Sui had good solid wuzhu coins. Here is my piece