Two large Chinese characters divided with a vertical line Huo Bu ("Money Spade"), single inside and outside rim / Single inside and outside rim, long vertical line. 57mm long, 24mm wide, 16.18 grams. Very nice green and brown patina with earthen highlights. Schjoth 148; Hartill 9.30. SKU#xv726

Thick original green patina.

The inscription on this coin - "Money Spade", meant that this piece was equal to one older spade coin. These pieces were issued after the monetary reform of 14 AD. It was probably equal to 1000 Huo Quan round coins. Wang Mang (45 BC - 6 October 23 AD), was a Han Dynasty official who seized the throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin (or Hsin, meaning "new") Dynasty, ruling AD 9-23. The Han dynasty was restored after his overthrow and his rule marks the separation between the Western Han Dynasty (before Xin) and Eastern Han Dynasty (after Xin). Some historians have traditionally viewed Wang as a usurper, while others have portrayed him as a visionary and selfless social reformer. Though a learned Confucian scholar who sought to implement the harmonious society he saw in the classics, his efforts ended in chaos.

This coin is unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic.