西夏贞观宝钱小平 美品WESTERN XIA: Zhen Guan, 1101-1113, AE cash (6.22g), H-18.94, a large and heavy coin, tsh-hee-a lhee lee ndzen in Tangut script (zhen guan bao qian in Chinese), this is the first example of this rare type we have seen, Fine, RRRR, ex Zhao Quanzhi Collection. The Tangut script (xi xià wén) was a logographic writing system, used for writing the extinct Tangut language of the Western Xia Dynasty. Tangut characters are similar in appearance to Chinese characters, with the same type of strokes, but the methods of forming characters in the Tangut writing system are significantly different from those of forming Chinese characters. There are only five coin types in Tangut script and all are very rare.
