Sea Eagle Coins & Antiquities
Shang Dynasty Money / early Zhou Dynasty Money - Brief History & Highlights
The Shang Dynasty is considered as China's earliest dynasty by historians. This is evidenced by the discoveries of major royal tombs and foundations of palaces in AnYang containing huge caches of weapons, bronzewares, shells, jade, bone, and stone artefacts. The predominant system of currencies was cowrie - natural shells, cowrie imitations in clay, stone, bone, jade, and bronze. Besides cowrie and cowrie imitations, bronze pieces with inscriptions known as " Ant Nose Money" and "Ghost Face Money" were also circulated as money. Other unusual bronze pieces in the shapes of fish, bridges, and bells, attributed to this period, which were found in large number have made some to believe that these were also circulated as a medium of exchange during the Shang Dynasty.


SHA11.5
Cowrie natural
26mm
SIN 11
Rev: Plain
S


SHA17.29
Ant Nose money
17mm
SIN 17
Reverse blank. S175
Inscriptions resemble an "Ant Face"


SHA12.8
Cowrie imitation bone
26mm
SIN 12
Rev: 2 small holes.
S


SHA16.16
Ghost Face Money
17mm.
SIN 16
Reverse blank.
Inscriptions resemble a "Ghost Face"


SHA13.4
Cowrie Imitation bronze
32mm
SIN 13
Rev: Plain. Concave surface.
S


SHA12.7
Cowrie imitation bone
D:
SIN 14
Rev: Plain
S
Early Zhou Dynasty Money. Spring and Autumn Era - Brief History & Highlights


ZHOU14.7
Bridge Money
L: 70mm
SGD31.7
Obv: Unknown Design. Rev: Plain
Resembles musical chimes


ZHOU14a1
Bridge Money
L: 60mm.
SGD329
Obv: Plain. Rev: Plain
Spring & Autumn Period and Warring States Period.


ZHOU14b5
Bridge Money
L:
SGD329
Obv: Plain. Rev: Plain
Remarks


ZHOU18.7
Fish shaped Money
L: 50mm
SGD31.7
Obv:
Remarks


ZHOU18a6
Fish shaped Money
L: 70mm
SGD329
Obv: Horizontal line. Rev: Plain & Flat.
Remarks


ZHOU18a7
Fish shaped Money
L: 70mm.
SGD329
Obv: Horizontal line. Rev: Plain & Flat.
Remarks