The Ming Dynasty was established by a former peasant and monk, Zhu Yuan Zhang, in 1368. "DaZhong Tong Bao" was issued by Zhu Yuan Zhang before he became the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty with "Hong Wu" as the reign title. The Ming Dynasty was one of the most influential imperial dynasties, known for its cultural achievements and maritime expeditions. Its coinage typically bore the emperor's reign title in regular Chinese scripts, Ming coins are generally scarcer than Song coins due to Qing era melting and shift to silver as medium of exchange. Multiple cash coins from the Ming Dynasty are well sought after by collectors.