WARRING STATES: State of Qin, 300-200 BC, AE cash (8.45g), H-7.6, 34mm, ban liang, VF-EF, ex Shawn Hamilton Collection. This coin type is traditionally associated with Qin Shi Huang Di, the first Chinese Emperor, who united China in 221 BC. The History of Han says: "When Qin united the world, it made two sorts of currency: that of yellow gold, which was called yi and was the currency of the higher class; and that of bronze, which was similar in quality to the coins of Zhou, but bore an inscription saying Half Ounce, and was equal in weight to its inscription."
