Explanation of ancient coin terms
The face, back, curtain, wear, profile and flesh of ancient coins:
The front of ancient coins is called the face, which is generally cast There are writings, called face writing or Qian writing. Vertical lines on the surface are called vertical writing, and horizontal lines are called horizontal writing. The back of the money is called the back for short, and the back with writing on it is called the back. If there is neither writing nor decoration, it is called the bare back. Generally, the back of the money is called the curtain.
The square hole or round hole of money is called wear, and it can also be called good or letter. Large perforations are called wide perforations, small perforations are called narrow perforations, and there are also flower perforations. The outer body of money is called flesh. The outer edge of the meat is called the edge, or the profile; the inner edge that forms the border is called the inner profile, or the good profile or the wide profile; the thin inner profile is called the thin profile, and the very thin one is called the thin profile. Before the Han Dynasty, round coins had no inner and outer outlines, so we called them flat backs. Since Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty minted five baht coins, coins have had inner and outer outlines. The double outer profile is called double wheel or double profile; the double inner profile is called double hole or double penetration. If the inner profile is lower than the outer profile, we become the negative profile.
Qianwen and shape of ancient coins:
Qianwen is the text cast on the surface of the money. Qian's text is read from top, right, bottom and left, which is called back reading or spiral reading. Qian's text is read from top to bottom, right to left, which is called direct reading or sequential reading. The calligraphy styles of Qian Wen include seal script, Li script, Zhen script, Cao script, Xing script, Shou Jin script, Song script, etc. Even with the same font, the techniques are varied. Shape refers to the casting process, coin materials, and modeling structure of ancient coins. Coins of each era have their own characteristics, and differences from the coins of previous dynasties must be stipulated out of necessity. For example, some round coins with square holes have outlines, and some have no outlines; some have large perforations, and some have small perforations; some money inscriptions are read directly, and some are read spirally. Therefore, coins of each era have formed their own unique styles. This method is also very scientific when identifying the authenticity of ancient coins. In order to make the coin's inscriptions less likely to wear out, Xiangqi's knife cloth casts the coin's outline higher, with a high point in the middle of the back. If there are no such features, it should be judged to be a counterfeit. Even the sword coins of the same currency system have changes due to the sequence of time. This requires coin enthusiasts to memorize the characters that often appear in money writings and the characteristics of the times to avoid being fooled by counterfeit coins.
Diao Mu and Iron Mu:
Diao Mu is also called Zu Qian. Use copper, tin, or lead blocks to directly carve money molds. When casting money, use ancestral money as a mold and cast mother money. These mother money were distributed to various places, and each place used the mother money to make coins. The carvings of ancestral coins are very sophisticated. The carvings seen so far are all made of golden copper, which is a high-quality copper material. The bronze inscriptions on the mother-of-pearl are very exquisite and the words are deep and solemn. There are no signs of knife marks on the carved mother coins, and they are slightly larger and thicker than the coins in circulation of the same version. The carved mother coins are made into money molds and then taken away. Craftsmen cast molten copper on the money molds. After the coins cool down, the molds are opened, and the coins are taken out, processed and polished until they are smooth.
During the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, the development of metallurgical technology and mining technology led to the development of the mint industry. Brass coinage became popular during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. In the past, to identify the copper content of coins, one would throw the coin on the ground and listen to the sound to judge its quality. Copper coins with high fineness would make a golden sound when thrown on the ground. In addition to brass, there are also white copper coins, which is due to the large proportion of tin in the copper-tin alloy. There is also a kind of white copper coin that is nickel copper.
The volume of carved mother money is larger than that of mother money and circulating money. Mother money is slightly larger than circulating money and has better copper quality. Just because mother money is made from ancestral money, the outer contour and word mouth of the money are not as deep as those of carved mother, and are inferior to carved mother in all aspects. In addition to copper coins, mother coins are also made of iron. Iron mother coins made of iron materials are larger and thicker than copper coins of the same grade.
Ancient coin enthusiasts should distinguish iron mother coins from iron model copper coins. Iron mother coins are mother coins made by turning sand for casting iron coins, and then the mother coins are cast into circulation coins. It is different from copper coins. In fact, the only difference is the material used to mint the coins. As for iron mold copper coins, before a large number of cast iron coins are cast, molten copper liquid is injected to check the effect of the money mold. Therefore, these copper coins are called trial castings, which are exactly the same shape as iron coins. This kind of money is rarely circulated.
Whether it is making coins or categories, it is a handicraft production method, which results in uneven quality of coins and high casting fees. Copper coins of the past dynasties in China often have errors in form and flow of copper, making the coins irregular and beautiful. They also vary widely in weight and fineness. Even coins cast in the same furnace may not necessarily have the same weight and fineness. It is even more difficult to distinguish. A revolution in the history of Chinese coinage was the adoption of machine-made coins in the Qing Dynasty. The newly minted copper coins were neat and exquisite, which was very popular among the people, and the government also made great profits.
Shengkeng and cooked pit products:
Ancient coins with unearthed rust color are called raw pits, so they are called new pits soon after they are unearthed; they are unearthed for a long time and still have rust flakes. It is called Laosheng pit or familiar pit.
There are also counterfeits of raw-keng coins. At that time, later generations forged ancient coins from previous generations. We mainly identify the authenticity of raw-keng coins by observing the characters and rust color of the coins. Because the characters on the coins were mostly written by famous calligraphers, and the characters learned by forgers have their own form but no spirit. Sometimes the characters and the shape of the coins are also different. Although the patina is real, the coins are also fake. Copper is also a relatively stable metal and is not prone to rust at room temperature and humidity. After hundreds of years or even thousands of years, the surface of the coins undergoes chemical changes and forms patina, which will not fall off.
The rust on some counterfeit products is specially treated and decorated. Although it is very realistic, the rust will fall off after being soaked in boiling water.
Tongbao, Yuanbao and Chongbao:
Tongbao is a name for Chinese copper coins from the Tang Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty. In the fourth year of Wude, Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty, Kaiyuan Tongbao was minted. Kaiyuan means opening a new era, and it has been used in subsequent dynasties, and is often preceded by the word "Tongbao" with the name of the year, dynasty or country. Since the Tang Dynasty, money has no longer been named by weight, but has been called treasure. Such as "Datang Tongbao", "Tangguo Tongbao", "Taiping Tongbao", "Yongle Tongbao", "Kangxi Tongbao", etc. Currency as a treasure has its social significance, which means that the power of currency has increased.
The name "Yuanbao" was first used for "Deyi Yuanbao" and "Shuntian Yuanbao" cast by Shi Siming in Luoyang during the reign of Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty. Shuntian Yuanbao was reformed from Deyi Yuanbao. These two kinds of money It can be said to be a kind of occupation currency. During the Dali period, there were Dali Yuanbao, which was not well made. At that time, the price was very low, but the copper price was also very high. Therefore, there were also Tianfu Yuanbao, Chunhua Yuanbao and Sheng Yuanbao. Song Yuanbao, Xuanhe Yuanbao, Jingkang Yuanbao, etc.
"Chongbao" is also a name for copper coins. This name was first used for the "Qianyuan Chongbao" cast in the first year of Qianyuan of the Tang Dynasty. There are two types: one is Qianyuan Chongbao worth ten coins; the other is Qianyuan Chongbao worth fifty coins. The outline of the back of this kind of money is double circle, so it is called Chonglun Qianyuan Chongbao. There are many handed down, especially Xiaoping coins, which are second only to Kaiyuan coins. North Korea once minted Qianyuan coins with the word "Donggu" on the back. This is the earliest coin in North Korea with a bare back and a lower back. Or birds or clouds, there are also clouds on them. Later, there were "Qianheng Chongbao" in the Southern Han Dynasty, "Qingli Chongbao" in the Northern Song Dynasty, "Xianfeng Chongbao" in the Qing Dynasty, "Guangxu Chongbao" and so on.
Marked money, ant-nosed money and grimace money:
Marked money is a coin with special marks on its face and back. For example, there are stars, moons, etc. on the face and back. Yuan Chongbao, with the auspicious bird pattern, is worth 990 yuan. There are two types of Xianchun Yuanbao from Song Dynasty: Xiaoping and Zheer. The inscriptions on the back range from Yuan characters to Bazi, which indicates the age of the coin. The Xianchun coins of the eighth year were the last coins of the Song Dynasty. There was probably no coinage in the 19th and 10th years, and the former Young Emperor, Duanzong and Houyou Emperor did not mint coins in the early years. , fold five, count five, count ten, and set up Baoquan bureau drum casting in each province. The money cast this time has the name of the bureau of each province on the back, including Beiping, Henan, Ji, Beijing, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hubei, and Guangzhou. , Gui, etc. Most of the small coins only have the name of the bureau on the back. If you find ancient coins with the words Peking, Hubei, Jing, Gui, etc. on the back, you should pay attention to identify them. The genuine coins are worth more than a thousand yuan each. Treasure.
What is commonly known as ant-nosed money is an advanced form of copper shells. Numismatists believe that ant-nosed money is the currency of Chu State because most of it is unearthed in the south and the characters are in inscriptions, which are similar to those in the Central Plains. The currency is different. The shape of the ant-nosed money is convex on the front and flat on the back. The most common one is the so-called grimace money, because the money is oval and has inscriptions on it. It does look like a human face. Secondly, it is Geliuzhu, because the text on it seems to be a continuation of the three characters Geliuzhu. At the same time, it looks like an ant, plus the high nose on the ghost's face, so we have the name "ant nose money". Name. These two kinds of money are the most common.
The other types of ant-nosed money, those with the word "Quan" on the copper shell, are rare in Hubei, Hunan, Anhui, Jiangsu, and other places. Ant-nosed coins are constantly found in Lunan. There are many ordinary nose coins handed down from generation to generation, and there are almost no counterfeit coins. However, if there are few coins with the word "Quan" unearthed, you should pay attention to whether there are signs of forgery.
Qian: Original and. "镈" is an ancient agricultural tool, similar to "戕", in the shape of a shovel. During the exchange of goods during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, metal farm tools "money" were regarded as important property and exchanged for circulation; then the primitive shovel money with the function of currency appeared, later also called "cloth" (that is, the pass holiday of "po"). ; In ancient times, money and money were mixed together, and today's spade and shovel are mixed together.) From the end of the Warring States to the Qin Dynasty, although all kinds of currencies were unified into a "square inside and round outside" state, the name "qian" has been retained and is still commonly used today. The collective name for currencies.
Quan: The ancient sound is related to "Qian". Because money circulates like spring water, some people call "money" "spring". After Wang Mang usurped the Liu Han Dynasty, he officially replaced "Jin" with "Quan" because the "Jin" next to the characters "Qian" and "Baht" violated his taboo with the "Jin" in the traditional Chinese character "Liu" in the structure of "Maojin Dao". "Money", and six springs including "Huoquan", "Buquan" and "Koizumi Naichi" to "Oizumi Fifty" were cast. After that, Sun Wu of the Three Kingdoms called "Daquan five hundred" and "Daquan worth a thousand", and the Tang and Five Dynasties called "Qianfeng Quanbao" and "Yongtong Quanhuo", etc. "Quan" as "Qian" was widely used and passed down. . Later generations of literati regarded the word "spring" as more elegant and indifferent than the word "qian". Therefore, You like to call "money" "spring".
Mian: The abbreviation of the front side of money. That is, the side with the year name or country name is cast to mark the name of the money. Such as "Banmian", "Kaiyuan Tongbao", "Shunzhi Tongbao" and other money noodles.
Back: The abbreviation for the back of money, also called "curtain". There are many changes in the back of money: the plain and unwritten ones are called "guangback" or "plain back", such as "banliang" and "five baht" in Qin and Han Dynasties, which are multiple bare backs. Most money from the Tang and Song dynasties had star and moon patterns or characters such as address, year, and value on the back.
For example, those with "⌒" on the back of Kaiyuan Tongbao are called moon patterns, and those with the character "Jing" on their backs indicate that they were cast in Jingzhou; the inscription "Tongren" on the back of Jiading Tongbao in the Southern Song Dynasty refers to the creation of Tong An Supervisor in the second year of Jiading; the large coins of Tianqi Tongbao in the Ming Dynasty have the inscription "10.1" on the back "Liang" means it is worth ten and weighs one liang; the Manchu "" on the back of Yongzheng Tongbao in the Qing Dynasty indicates that it was cast by Baosu Bureau. The inscription on the back of the large coin "Zhiyuan Tongbao" of the Yuan Dynasty is composed of Mongolian, Xixia and Chagatai characters, which is particularly strange.
Bi Lun----During the Eastern Jin Dynasty, old Dongwu coins were used, with large and small weights in parallel. Large coins were called "Bi Lun", describing them as big as wheels.
Xiao Ping Qian --- - A small coin worth one penny, also called flat money or a small coin, usually has a diameter of about 2.4 centimeters and weighs about 3.5 grams.
Discount two cents - when used as two cents, the diameter is generally about 2.8 It is about 3 centimeters in diameter and weighs about 7 grams.
Discount three qian - the money used for salmon is generally about 3.1 centimeters in diameter and weighs about 10 grams. (all pushed up in order)
Big money----(1). The collective name for money with large denominations and large money. (2). In the Six Dynasties, the standard-sized five-baht coin was called big money, which is the same as scissors. Chiseled small coins are relatively speaking.
Wen----The name of the basic unit of coins, one small flat coin is called one Wen.
Guan----One thousand coins is called Guan, also The square bamboo strips worn in the money holes in the money-making place are also called Guan.
缗----Tongguan, a thousand coins are called 缗.
Small sample---- Refers to the diameter of the coin being smaller than that of the same type of coin.
Large type----refers to the diameter of the coin that is larger than that of the same type of coin.
The face----the front side of the coin.
Front text----the text on the front of the coin.
Back----the back of the coin, also called the curtain.
Back text----the back of the coin The general term for words, symbols, and graphics, also known as curtain text.
Puer - refers to the hole in the money body, also known as hao. The square one is called Fang Chuan, the square hole is called Yuan Chuan, and the round one is called Yuan Chuan. Round hole.
Wide penetration----refers to the one with larger money hole.
Narrow penetration----refers to the one with smaller money hole.
Nei Guo----refers to the protruding part around the money hole, also known as Good Guo.
Guang Guo----refers to the wider inner Guo.
Narrow Guo-- --Refers to the narrower inner Guo.
Chongguo----refers to the double inner Guo.
Jue Wen----refers to one corner or several of the square holes in the money body The corners are pointed out.
Sijue Wen----refers to the square hole in the money body with the four corners pointed out. It is also called "Sijue".
Lijiao——is A special kind of Sijuewen, the corners of the square hole are in the shape of small dots.
Sichuwen---refers to the four corners of the square hole on the money body and the positive inscriptions extending to the outside. It is also called four places and four ways.
Outer Guo ---- refers to the protruding part of the outer circumference of the money body, also known as the outer edge, outer wheel, flesh Guo, and edge Guo.
Wide edge----the outside is wider, also known as wide wheel, wide edge.
Narrow edge----the outer wall is narrower, also known as narrow wheel, narrow edge and thin edge.
Chonglun----refers to the double outer wall.
The forehead chakra ---- refers to the outer wall that is high on the outside and low on the inside. It is more common in Wang Mang Qian.
Beveling----refers to the outward beveling of the outer surface, which is opposite to the forehead chakra.
Edge money----refers to the money used to grind off the outer edges.
Meat——refers to the five-character pattern part between the inner and outer sides of the coin. Thick ones are called thick meat, and thin ones are called thin meat.
日----refers to the raised circle on the back of the money, also known as Japanese.
Moon ---- refers to the convex arc on the face of the money and the back, also known as moon inscriptions, armor inscriptions, and moon marks. The upward arc is called Yangyue, and the downward arc is called Yanyue.
Star----refers to the raised dot on the face and back of the money, also known as star text.
Circle star ---- refers to the concave circle on the back of the coin.
Pregnant star - refers to the star on the back of the money that looks up to the moon.
Guangbei----refers to Qianbei without writing, also known as plain back, light curtain, plain curtain.
Combined back--refers to money made by misuse of two face stamps, with money inscriptions on both sides.
Meaning----refers to the misuse of two pieces of money cast from behind. Both sides are money backed.
Direct reading----The order of Qian's text is arranged in the order of top, bottom, right and left, which is also called sequential reading and counter-reading.
Spin reading----Qian's text is arranged in the order of top, right, bottom and left, also known as circular reading.
Left reading----means that Qian's text is read from left to right.
Zhuan shape - refers to money made from inscriptions with inscriptions carved into straight characters. The characters on money are in the shape of reverse characters, which was seen from the pre-Qin to the Six Dynasties period.
Li Guo----refers to Qian Wen staying away from Nei Guo.
Jie Guo----refers to Qian Wenjun being connected with Nei Guo.
The wheel ---- means that Qian Wen is far away from the outside world and is not connected to the outside world.
Lian Lun——refers to the connection between Qian Wen and Wai Guo.
The word "deep" means that Qian's writing is particularly profound.
Yinqi Wen----refers to the different heights and thicknesses of Qian Wen.
Jutou----refers to Qian Wenzhi's head facing Nei Guo, also known as Jutou.
Bingzu——refers to Qian Wenzhi’s headship facing foreign countries.
Carved Mother——Coin model carved from copper, tin, lead, teeth, bone, wood and other materials, also known as ancestral money.
Mother money - the money used as a mold when recasting, usually cast directly from the mother carving.
Iron mother——refers to the mother coin for casting iron coins, which itself is made of copper.
Iron coin--a copper coin cast in the form of iron coin.
Sample money——Sample money for trial casting and initial casting.
Ministry-issued sample money - the central government and the Ministry of Industry supervise the production and issue of sample money to each province as a standard, which can also be used as mother money.
Submit sample money - local government submits sample money for review by the relevant authorities.
Cut and chisel money - the general term for edge-cut money and ring-extended money. A round coin is cut into two pieces, inside and outside.
Trimming money——money that has been cut off the outer ring. Also called antithesis.