Baijin Sanpin - Turtle

The Baijin Sanpin, or 'three types of white metal currency,' were minted during the Western Han Dynasty under the reign of Emperor Wu around 141 BCE. These coins were issued as a short-lived fiscal experiment intended to bolster the imperial treasury and control the circulation of precious metals. The set included three distinct shapes—a dragon, a horse, and a turtle—each representing different social classes and values, with the turtle variety specifically valued at 300 zhu.

These pieces were designed to reflect the cosmological symbolism prevalent in Han iconography, where the turtle represented longevity and the northern quadrant of the sky. While the design is celebrated today for its artistic sophistication and historical rarity, the currency was ultimately unsuccessful and short-lived, as the government found the high-value white metal tender difficult to regulate against prevailing bronze coins. Consequently, they were demonetized shortly after their introduction, leaving few surviving specimens to the present day.