Northern Song Dynasty. Emperor Ren Zong (1022-63). Huang Song Tong Bao. Inscription in 九叠 (9 times folded ornate script). CCC 16.119 This is a non-circulating coin in the ornate script that was only used once in Chinese coinage history. The script was previously limited for use only in official seals and thus unusual for use in coinage. As they are rarely found, it was believed to be either an amulet, pattern or even an ornamental coin used to inaugurate the imperial mints (开炉钱) during the Emperor's reign.
So, is this script completely different from that used on the Yong Tong Wan Guo from the Northern Zhou dynasty? I love the coin. I have never seen a real one outside of Hartill's catalogue. Yours is especially attractive.
All of these coins just have text. Those that do have imagery are either fakes or charms. The lack of images are what puts off a lot of collectors who prefer Roman, Greek, etc stuff.
Yes, me included. I can see nothing attractive about them, but that's just me and that doesn't mean they aren't very interesting, just not eye candy. I suppose compared to most text, this language is as close to imagery as we get, although Islamic and Indian coins have a nice style too.
Thanks... The script is a bit different as the strokes were deliberately folded multiple times to even it out to a cubic complex form. Whilst in the Yong Tong Wan Guo, the calligraphy is still beautiful and of an official seal script, but more from the fact that it was from an archaic script form and not deliberately folded into a cubic form like this.
Chinese and in fact most Far Eastern coinage relied more on calligraphy at best as a form of art. Imagery was not a popular expression of art and was considered inferior to calligraphy. In addition, coinage was regarded more of a practical expediency as opposed to a canvas for art unlike western coinage for centuries. Collectors of Chinese coinage usually go for the history, association and finally in some instances the calligraphy behind these coinages..
that's neat LS. i had no idea what this was, but i knew it wasn't a "generic" northern song coin. i remembered the name "ren zong" as well, i have a couple of his in the "generic" variety. here's one stuck to another coin..
As do collectors of western ancient coins... I guess we are just lucky the art is there in abundance as a bonus. For me it's 80 percent eye appeal, if not more.
I'd say I am probably in it 60% for the history and 40% for eye-appeal. The eye appeal goes without saying. With the history I go for coins that represent what I am into historically, and I really enjoy learning and reading about Roman (mostly late Roman) and European medieval. Relevancy to my culture/civilization isn't as big of a reason but I think it plays some part as well. I am also into early Islamic coinage as well (though not as much as what I mainly collect), so I am not overall too hung up on having to have images on my coins, but it is mostly the history that drives me to collect them part-time. I can't read Arabic to save my life (although I can recognize the Shahada from looking at some of my Islamic coins) but it looks really nice sometimes on the coins, especially on shiny and well-struck silver and gold.
I agree with @ValiantKnight ... I enjoy collecting the coins mainly for HISTORY. Aesthetics are nice, but the historical significance, regardless of of the surface of the coin or condition is MUCH more attractive to me. Once I find the cool coin from an Historical perspective, then I hone in on more attractive details for the price I plan to pay... Ergo, UGLY, unattractive coins can be EXTREMELY attractive to me, especially if they nail an historical place-marker. My goal is not to sell them or show them off; my goal is to touch the time period, and the people that transacted the coins of significant events in human history. I have a reasonably large Western Ancient collection and a budding Eastern Ancient collection. My collection approach is the same for both collections. An overall observation of my collection: I really do not have many "pretty" Ancient Greek coins...
