Why settle for one Wang Mang when you can have two Wang Mang? Wang Mang was one crazy coin dude, and ancient China's monetary pains are now my gains. Some call them "Chinese washers" I call them "cool cash ." Just look at @TypeCoin971793 's collection of cash coins, bridge money, and knives and spades. If that stuff doesn't move you in any way, then I don't know what will. I will probably be chasing more Wang Mang cash over the next few months, so can you Wang Mang handle it? LOL China, Xin Dynasty, Emperor Wang Mang, 7 - 23 AD AE 5 Zhu, 24mm,3.40 grams Obverse: Huo Quan. Reverse: Blank, as made. Hartill9.32
You made a good choice. Very nice example. IMO, Wang Mang is the coolest area to collect in ancient China. So much happened in such a short period of time. Plus many of the issues are common enough to be snagged for cheap.
Thanks. I am ordering the new book on Wang Many coinage. I think I'd like to collect all varieties of each denomination I can get my hands on. I know some coins have blank reverses, while others may have dots or dashes on the reverses, or double rims, etc. Not sure what it all means yet, but I want to collect them and find out by reading the book and studying the coins. I would like to eventually add a few Warring States coins, Han Dynasty coins, and crowry proto-money (bone, rock, and natural). So it all won't just be Wang Mang.
Here is my stable of Huo Quans. I don't have any stellar ones like @chrsmat71. The second row has normal-sized coins. The third row shows just how diminuitive these coins got. The first and fourth rows are just some interesting varieties I came across, the fourth row in particular. From left to right on the fourth row: a clipped Huo Quan, a later one with the center punched out (I have only seen two of these, and I can't find my second one ), a huo quan cast to look like it has been clipped (only one I have seen), a couple errors where two reverse moulds were used which resulted in blank coins, and a thick giant variety called a biscuit. I might be a bit crazy, but who can resist at an average price of $0.50 each? Dummy me forgot I had these before I took the above picture. And of course I have these. Due to their style and the fact that they look worn, I believe that these were privately-made counterfeits. Official coins were not made using straight mould like these were (as far as I know), further leading to the conclusion that they are contemporary counterfeits. This one cost a little (actually, a LOT) more than $0.50.
This isn't a race, but a stroll. If I live up to my life expectancy (God willing), I've probably got 46 years left of collecting. That's plenty of time to add Gordies and Chinese to my collection, as well as other coins...and plenty of time to infect others with the ancients collecting decease.
