24.5 mm, 4.5 g |
Metal: iron Obverse: Gan Tian Tong Bao 
Reverse: Gan Tian Tong Bao
As I know, there are no such reign title (Nian Hao) in the Chinese
history. Coin with the legend Gan Tian Tong Bao not mentioned in the
books. |
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I asked Dr.T.D.Yih if the above coin can be connected with the Western Liao coinage described in the his article. Here is the message from Dr.T.D.Yih (30-Aug-2000):
First of all Wittfogel in his history of the Liao dynasty refers on page 664 to an old numismatic book by the Sung scholar Hung Tsun. This books describes this coin. It is attributed to empress Gan Tian. The coin is also mentioned in some old Japanese numismatic books together with the piece Kangguo tp e.g. Toyo Senka Nenpo (A chronological Table of Far Eastern coins) by Ando Kajihiko, Osaka 1918. Gan Tian is also mentioned in an older Japanese work by Nakagawa Sekikosai, entitled Wakan Kisei Kosen Zuroku (Illustrated Record of Japanese and Chinese rare coins), Osaka (1859). I do not have these sources, but they are mentioned in the Encyclopedia of Coole. Ting Fu Pao mentions the Kangguo, but peculiarly not Gan Tian coin. Both pieces are also mentioned and illustrated in a western reference book, possibly the Glover collection. There is no mentioning of the metallic composition. |
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