Qi Dao Wu Bai “Inscribed Knife 500“ / Blank. 75mm, 13.72 grams. Hartill #9.46var (regular reverse). 

Lovely condition, uncleaned, with the original patina. The leg was broken and repaired. Very rare.

Rare "value 500" knife coin from the first reform of Wang Mang from 7 AD. The first monetary reform was introduced by Wang Mang in AD 7 in his capacity as the “Acting Emperor”. Since it happened before the foundation of the Xin dynasty, these coins are more correctly attributed to the reigning Western Han puppet-Emperor Ruzi (AD 6-9), even though he was just an infant and obviously had no say in the reform.

The “Value 500” (zhu) knives were equal in value to one hundred Wu Zhus, while weighing only as much as five to ten Wu Zhus. Considering the high value and light weight of this knife, the counterfeiting of these coins was probably widespread and many of the cruder or lighter knives are probably ancient counterfeits. These knives had a high value - considering a labourer in the Han period could be hired to maybe 150 cash (Wu Zhus) a month, this single piece with a weight of only five to ten Wu Zhus could pay for about twenty days of a man’s labour. However, numerous molds for the casting of Qi Dao Wu Bai knives are known and it seems they were cast in huge numbers, probably leading to significant inflation. It is thus likely that despite their high face value they had a much lower purchasing power than one hundred “normal” Wu Zhus.

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.