½ Liang (Type 2; regular Ban)

The Ban Liang coin represents a pivotal moment in Chinese history, marking the unification of the currency system under Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, following his conquest of the warring states in 221 BCE. Designed as a circular coin with a central square hole, the shape became the standard template for Chinese coinage for over two thousand years. The design was intended to symbolize the traditional cosmology of a round heaven and a square earth, while also providing a functional hole to facilitate the stringing of coins in standardized quantities.

The characters 'Ban' and 'Liang' refer to the weight of the coin, which was exactly half a tael. Produced through sand-casting methods, these coins were an essential administrative tool used to consolidate the Qin dynasty's economic control over its newly unified territory. While the Type 2 'regular' Ban Liang is characterized by its specific weight and standardized calligraphy, it reflects the broader transition from the chaotic, varied currency systems of the preceding states to a centralized imperial economy that prioritized uniformity and state-mandated monetary value.