Two large Chinese characters Wu Zhu, outside rim / Blank, inside and outside rims. 23mm, 2.49 grams. Cast c.113-87 BC. Hartill #8.9; Gratzer/Fishman #B1.33.

Mobianqian coin (a coin without the outer rim). Coins without the outer rim were commonly called "nu qian" ("female coin"). This general type is pictured in Hartill (#10.17), though the description there is incorrect.

Numerous filed Western Han coins are known. Most are filed from the outside, with a filed outer rim. Some are filed from the inside as well, with an enlarged or modified hole. The dating of these coins is uncertain - the actual type is a wu zhu cast during the reign of Emperor Xuan Di (73-49 BC) (G/F #B1.46), but it was filed down some time later, during the late Western Han period or perhaps during the massive disturbances and the civil war during the reign of Wang Mang.

Wu Di Wu Zhus were cast during the reign of Emperor Wu Di after 113 BC by the Shanglin offices in Chang’an. Superficially, they look much like the earlier Chi Ce Wu Zhus, but are usually slightly lighter and of somewhat inferior calligraphy and casting, with crudely filed edges with clear file marks. It seems that the need to cast hundreds of millions of coins a year made the officials compromise on the quality of the coins. The Wu Di Wu Zhus also typically exhibit a relatively narrow tall and slightly asymmetric “Wu” often without the longer base dash in “Wu” found on many other Wu Zhus. The reverse of all these coins always shows both the external and internal rims (again, as a precaution against clipping or filing) with no additional marks, unless stated otherwise.

This coin is unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic.