Date: Ming (AD 1368-1644)
Dimensions: Diameter 34.19 mm
Material: Copper

• Object Type：
  • COINS
• Location：
  • Chinese Numismatics Gallery
• Tag：
  • yongle reign ming copper

Yongle Tongbao coins began to be minted in the 6th year of the Yongle reign period of Ming dynasty (AD 1408). But only the Xiaoping coin (1 Wen / cash) was found in circulation. This Yongle Tongbao coin housed in Shanghai Museum is 3 Wen / cash (Zhe San). It is cast with two words, San Qian, indicating that it is a coin recording the weight. It reflects that the state intended to cast the coin recording the weight in five currency values according to the Hongwu Tongbao monetary system. But surprisingly this kind of money was not implemented. So it was actually a sample coin. It is an important material object for the study of coinage system development in the early Ming dynasty.