Fou Ch'ang Ch'ung Pao
Description | Obverse |
Reverse | Diam., mm |
Peculiarity | Image origin |
The Chin dynasty, the Pretender Liu Yu of Chi
year title Fou Ch'ang
c.d.1130-1137 |
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Mr.John Liang |
c.d. - coin dating
F.Shjoth wrote that:
"The 7th moon of the 4th year of Ch'ien-yen (a.d.1130) in the Emperor Kao Tsung's time (Sung), the people of Chin setup Liu Yu as an Emperor with the dynastic name Ch'i. In the 9th moon he ascended the throne and during 11th moon he adopted the year title Fou Ch'ang (1130).
Chin used in the beginning the currencies of Liao and Sung,
and at the end of Tien Chi (1137) the Fou Chang coins were still in use."
Liu Yu was a Chin-shih graduate from Fu-ch'eng in Chihli, and later a prefect in Chinan in Shantung. He rebelled and took service with the Chins, and subsequently these made him Emperor. In a.d. 1137 he was deposed. This coin is extremely rare.
In the F.Schjoth book is placed only one item of Fou Ch'ang T'ung Pao with the seal style inscription (S1076).
There are references on such coins in the Chinese book Illustrative plates of Chinese ancient coins at the page 310, item N6, rarity marked as 'star'.
Shown above coin image and some information about Fou Ch'ang Ch'ung Pao I received from Mr.John Liang:
This is the photo of one of my favourite coin, a Fou Chang Chung Pao 5
cash. It appears in Ding dictionary (and in my price-list) as D1676. The story is
interesting, so may be you can put the photo and the story on your page.
In 1131, the Chin troops returned to the north after a three year
campaign against Southern Sung. On their way back, they installed a
surrendered Sung general Lau Yu as the Emperor of "Chi Dynasty". The
Chi supposedly had control of what was once Northern Sung territories.
In reality, it was just a puppet state that acted as a buffer zone. In
the ensuing years, Lau actually led troops in campaigns against the
Southern Sung, but he failed every time. In 1137, Chin became fed up
with Lau and simply dumped him. In one day, Lau went all the way from
the "son of heaven" to ordinary "common peasant". He died in 1146.
His legency is far from great, but he did produce very nice and elegant
coins. There are altogether six recorded types, all rare. The piece you
are looking at is already the most "common", and it is worth half a
thousand US$.
Please look at the Fou Chang Yuan Pao.
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