新莽契刀五百 上美品。XIN: Wang Mang, AD 7-23, AE key money (19.86g), H-9.13, qi dao wu bai (inscribed knife [value] five hundred), very light encrustation with Shuiyin Gu patina ("Ancient Mercury"), coins with this appearance were often unearthed in Shaanxi province, this is the finest example of this type we have yet seen! About Unc, R, ex Zhao Quanzhi Collection. 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. The first reform, in AD 7, retained the Wu Zhu coin, but reintroduced two versions of the knife money: the value 500 and value 5000 types which were cast from AD 7-9. This item is featured on the cover of this auction catalog.
