| This bronze mold was made during the Western Han Dynasty (202 BC - 24 AD) to produce coins which were in common use. Note that the coins had holes in the end so they could be carried on a cord. The coins are called 货布, "Huo Bu" and date to the Xin Mang Period (8 AD - 24 AD) of the Western Han Dynasty. At the end of the Western Han Dynasty, Wang Mang reformed the coinage to make more gradations in value. The system was too complicated and introduced too many new values and it was a failure. The coins produced were of very high quality and workmanship, but if you couldn't understand their value, they weren't suitable as money. |
