XIN: Wang Mang, AE spade money (14.41g), H-9.29, da bu heng qian (large spade, [value] one thousand), part of the "Ten Spades" series cast from AD 10-14, VF-EF. Wang Mang was a nephew of the Dowager Empress Wang, and during his time as her regent he usurped the throne, and founded the Xin Dynasty. He introduced a number of currency reforms which met with varying degrees of success. During the third reform, in AD 10, Wang Mang issued the "Ten Spades" series and according to the History of Han: "The people became bewildered and confused, and these coins did not circulate. They secretly used Wu Zhu coins for their purchases." The value 1000 spade did see limited circulation while the other denominations saw very little.
