1000 Cash - Wang Mang (Third reform)

The 1000 cash coin, known as the Da Quan Wu Qian, was issued by the usurper emperor Wang Mang during his short-lived Xin Dynasty. Following his rise to power in 9 CE, Wang Mang implemented a series of radical economic reforms intended to consolidate state control over the currency supply and dismantle the influence of wealthy merchants. This specific denomination, issued around 10 CE, represented a significant departure from the traditional round, hole-centered coinage of the Han era, reflecting the regime's desire to assert ideological authority through numismatic innovation.

The design of the coin features a distinct spade-like shape transition, with the calligraphy characterized by the thin, precise 'iron wire' seal script style. Wang Mang’s reforms, which included the introduction of multiple denominations of varying metals and sizes, were ultimately unsuccessful due to the lack of trust in their face value relative to their intrinsic worth. The currency system collapsed after his death in 23 CE, leading to the coin's historical reputation as a symbol of the ambitious but volatile fiscal policies that defined the Xin interregnum.