Jin dynasty coinage (1115–1234)


The Jurchen Jin dynasty was an empire that ruled over Northern China and what would later become Manchuria from 1115 until 1234. After the Jurchens defeated the Khitans, and the Chinese they would continue to use their coins for day to day usage in the conquered territories. In 1234 they were conquered by the Mongol Empire.

History

Although the Jin dynasty had become issuing paper Jiaochao in 1154, they didn’t produce coins until the year 1158, prior to that coins from the preceding Liao and Song dynasties continued to circulate within Jurchen territory, as well as a continuing large inflow of coins produced by the Song, this was because the territory of the Jin didn't have enough copper to meet the demand. Jin era coins circulated alongside paper money and silver sycees, and were the main medium of exchange for the general population.
In the beginning iron coins continued to circulate but this had become to be perceived as an inconvenience so the Jin government ordered the immediate ban on melting down copper for usage other than currency, and was quick to open more copper mines to manage the production of copper coinage. 3 mints were opened that together produced 140,000 strings of coins a year, after inflation had become a problem this production became less profitable for the Jin government.
Coins produced by the Jin dynasty compared to earlier Liao dynasty coinage are both of higher quality, and quantity; this is because the Jurchens chose to model their coins more closely after the Song’s both in production as superficially in its calligraphic style.
Due to the constant Mongol invasions and high military expenditures, coins cast after 1209 had become a rarity.

List of coins produced by the Jin dynasty

Coins produced by the Jurchen Jin dynasty include:
InscriptionTraditional ChineseSimplified ChineseScriptsYears of mintingEmperorImage
Zheng Long Yuan Bao正隆元寶正隆元宝Regular script1158–1161Wanyan Liang
Da Ding Tong Bao大定通寶大定通宝Regular script1178–1189Shizong
Tai He Tong Bao泰和通寶泰和通宝Regular script1204–1209Zhangzong
Tai He Zhong Bao泰和重寶泰和重宝Regular script, Seal script1204–1209Zhangzong
Chong Qing Tong Bao崇慶通寶崇庆通宝Regular script1212–1213Wanyan Yongji
Chong Qing Yuan Bao崇慶元寶崇庆元宝Regular script1212–1213Wanyan Yongji
Zhi Ning Yuan Bao至寧元寶至宁元宝Regular script1213Wanyan Yongji
Zhen You Tong Bao貞祐通寶贞佑通宝Regular script1213–1216Xuanzong
Zhen You Yuan Bao貞祐元寶贞佑元宝Regular script1213–1216Xuanzong

Da Qi coinage

In 1130 during the Jin–Song Wars the Jin dynasty had set up a second puppet state called “Da Qi”, this puppet state briefly produced its own coins until it was defeated by the Song in 1137.
Coins produced by the brief Jurchen vassal state include:
InscriptionTraditional ChineseSimplified ChineseScriptEmperorImage
Fu Chang Tong Bao阜昌通寶阜昌通宝Regular script, Seal scriptLiu Yu
Fu Chang Yuan Bao阜昌元寶阜昌元宝Regular script, Seal scriptLiu Yu
Fu Chang Zhong Bao阜昌重寶阜昌重宝Regular script, Seal scriptLiu Yu

Eastern Xia coinage

During a coin hoard in the Russian Far East in 2011 new seven cash coins were discovered, these coins bore the inscription Dongzhen Xingbao alluding to a rebel state named Eastern Xia that was founded during the Mongol conquest of the Jin dynasty.

Citations