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Description:

The Tang Dynasty was largely a period of prosperity and stability. The capital at Chang'an was the most populous city in the world at the time, during a golden age of cosmopolitan society. Chinese culture flourished and further matured during the Tang era as it is considered the greatest age for Chinese poetry and historical literature. There were also many notable innovations during the Tang, including the development of woodblock printing.
Chinese cash coins were minted for more than two thousand years by many of the rulers who have shaped the history of one of the world’s great civilizations. The legends on each coin are easily identifiable and from the mint names, first used regularly by the Tang emperors, we can trace the expansion of China. The size changes of the coins mark the periods when inflation affected the country.
Each of these Chinese cash coins was laboriously hand made by castings in a form that resembles a flattened tree and molten bronze. After cooling, the molds were opened and the coins were cut off of their sprues and then were filed smooth to erase the cut area. The circular shape of the coin represented heaven, while the square hole in the center represented the Earth. Cash coins were considered a great symbol of wealth and were also worn as amulets against disease, evil or negative energy directed at the wearer.