Baijin Sanpin - Horse
China (ancient) • 500 Zhu • Lead (Lead with a mixture of silver.) • 141–87 BC
- Denomination
- 500 Zhu
- Issuer
- China (ancient)
- Struck
- 141–87 BC
- Composition
- Lead (Lead with a mixture of silver.)
- Currency
- Liang
- Weight
- 21.5 g
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The Baijin Sanpin, or 'Three Categories of White Metal Currency,' were issued by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty in approximately 141 BCE. These coins were an experimental fiscal measure designed to replenish the imperial treasury and assert state control over the economy. Cast in a unique silver-tin alloy, the set featured denominations shaped to represent traditional symbols of imperial authority: the dragon for the 3,000-zhu coin, the horse for the 500-zhu, and the tortoise for the 300-zhu.
The design of these pieces reflects the Han aesthetic of functional symbolism, emphasizing the weight and metallic purity of the currency to establish confidence in the new tender. However, the system was short-lived and ultimately unsuccessful. The high intrinsic value of the precious metals relative to their face value led to widespread private melting and counterfeiting, prompting the state to abandon the experiment in favor of standardized copper coinage shortly after its introduction.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About Baijin Sanpin - Horse
Baijin Sanpin - Horse is a coin in the Coins catalog on collecto.rs. China (ancient) • 500 Zhu • Lead (Lead with a mixture of silver.) • 141–87 BC. Catalog data is sourced from Numista. No collectors on collecto.rs publicly track this coin yet — adding yours would make you the first.
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