Ban-liang w/rims, Emperors Wendi (180-157 BC) and Jingdi (157-140 BC), cast c.170-145 BC, W. Han, China (G/F 13.65)

Two large Chinese characters Ban Liang ("Half an ounce"), Shanzi Liang type, outer rim / Blank, no rims. 25mm, 2.14 grams. Gratzer/Fishman #13.65; BM Chinese coins (Poole) #256ff; Hartill #7.29.

A Chinese ounce (liang) weighs about 16 grams. The earliest "Ban Liangs" weighed half that much - 8 grams, but the later pieces, like this one, weighed much less. This coin is from the last issue of Ban Liangs.

The Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 CE) was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms (220-265 CE). It was founded by the peasant rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty (9-23 CE) of the former regent Wang Mang. This interregnum separates the Han into two periods: the Western Han (206 BCE9 CE) and Eastern Han (25-220 CE). Spanning over four centuries, the period of the Han Dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history. To this day, China's majority ethnic group refers to itself as the "Han people".

This coin is unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic.