China - Ancient. WESTERN HAN: Anonymous, 113-49 BC, clay coin mold, H-8.8 type, 105mm x 116mm, broken fragment of a clay mold for wu zhu coins, eight full and three partial impressions, line above central obverse hole, shàng lín san guan type, Fine. Shang Lin San Guan refers to the Three Offices of Shang Lin Park which were the Office for Coinage, the Office for Sorting Copper, and the Office of Price Equalization. Minting was now confined to the central authorities. These coins usually have a raised rim on the top of the hole on the obverse. Their quality was so high that forgery became unprofitable except to true artisans, great villains, or thieves. All earlier coins were to be melted down and the copper taken to Shang Lin.
