Two large Chinese characters Wu Zhu, rim only above the hole, outside rim / Blank, inside and outside rims. 25mm, 3.42 grams. Gratzer/Fishman #1.33; Hartill #8.8; Schjoth 115. SKU T928-13960

This type with a removed outer rim is not listed in Hartill. The outer rim was probably removed in later times to reduce the weight of this type to adjust the weight of the heavy early Wu Zhus to the later lighter Wu Zhus (like the Nu Qian Wu Zhu's), or perhaps by someone trying to clip some copper off large Wu Zhus. Intresting good quality piece!The Three Offices of Shang Lin Park were the Office for Coinage, the Office for Sorting Copper, and the Office of Price Equalisation. 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.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.