Rare Wu Zhu cash w/reversed legend, Eastern Jin dynasty, 317-420 AD, China

Zhu Wu / Blank. 18mm, 0.96 grams. Gratzer/Fishman "One Thousand Years of Wu Zhus" #7.12 var (normal Wu).

Rare with a reversed legend (Zhu Wu). 

These unique-looking Wu Zhus were attributed in the past to the Wei Kingdom of the “Three Kingdoms” period. Now they are given to the Eastern Jin because of archaeological discoveries in the Eastern Jin tombs in Shaoxing in Zhejiang.

The Western Jin dynasty suffered a number of defeats by the Wu Hu barbarians; the capital in Luoyang was sacked (311) and the Jin Imperial family moved to Chang'an. However, Changan had to be abandoned within a few years (316). Sima Rui, a powerful member of the royal family, took this chance to consolidate power in Jiankang (modern Nanjing). In the following year, he took the title “Prince of Jin” and then “Emperor Yuan of Jin”, founding the Eastern Jin dynasty (317). The Eastern Jin dynasty enjoyed little peace; after a century of turbulent reigns and wars against the northern kingdoms and tribes, the Jin dynasty was toppled by Liu Yu, who founded the Liu Song (or Former Song) dynasty in AD 420.

This coin is unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic.