China - Dynasties。XIN: Wang Mang, 7-23 AD, AE gold key money (35.12g), H-9.12, yi dao ping wu qian (One Knife worth five thousand) with the words yi dao written in gold inlay, minor encrustation, VF, RRR, ex Zhao Quanzhi Collection. At that time 5000 Wu Shu was equal to 1/2 cattie of gold. A cattie weighed about 120 grams, so these knifes were valued at about 60 grams (2 ounces) of pure gold. We have not been able to find a relative value for gold in ancient China, but in the same time frame in the Roman Empire, two ounces of gold would have been at least a years wages to an average citizen, thus the problem with this issue. It was fiat currency with a named value very high, but with little intrinsic value.
