PCi2011 Round1.BaseMetals.Group1.A

[Art]

ScottO's iron northen sung 3 cash

[thedeadpoint]

You can cash in your ticket to the next round.

 

What's the mint year of this?

[ScottO]

somewhere between 1086 and 1100

[ccg]

Use of iron for coinage in China was only done in times of desperate need, and so often appeared only in wartime.

 

However, China operated on a pure bullion system, where although cash coins (wen) were nominally 1/1000 of a tael (Chinese ounce, weight varies by use and region but I use 37.5g) of silver, the actual rate varied along with the silver:copper ratio.

 

Iron coins, as such didn't fit into the system very well, and were generally rejected outright, or accepted only on the basis of their scrap value relative to bronze/brass coins. As such, even a larger-than usual multiple-cash iron coin such as this 3 cash may have traded in the marketplace as a 1 (bronze) cash, or perhaps even 1/2 cash.

[Art]

Use of iron for coinage in China was only done in times of desperate need, and so often appeared only in wartime.

 

However, China operated on a pure bullion system, where although cash coins (wen) were nominally 1/1000 of a tael (Chinese ounce, weight varies by use and region but I use 37.5g) of silver, the actual rate varied along with the silver:copper ratio.

 

Iron coins, as such didn't fit into the system very well, and were generally rejected outright, or accepted only on the basis of their scrap value relative to bronze/brass coins. As such, even a larger-than usual multiple-cash iron coin such as this 3 cash may have traded in the marketplace as a 1 (bronze) cash, or perhaps even 1/2 cash.

 

 

Good info Kev. Thanks for the update.

[Art]

Round 2 bound:

 

ScottO's iron northen sung 3 cash