
Four Chinese characters Da Quan Wu Shi ("Great coin, 50 (cash)"), single rim inside the central hole, raised outside rim / Uncertain mark ("er"?) on the right. 23mm, 2.37 grams. BM Chinese coins (Poole) #345ff; Hartill 9.3var; Gratzer/Fishman "The Numismatic Legacy of Wang Mang" C3.24var. SKU T821-51000
Very rare with the mark on the reverse.
Second issue, cast 9-13 AD, though these remained in circulation until ca.20 AD. These are the latest official issues.
Wang Mang (c. 45 BC “ 6 October 23 AD), was a Han dynasty official and consort kin who seized the Chinese imperial throne from the Liu family and founded the Xin (or Hsin, referring to either the site of Wang's first fiefdom or meaning "renewed") dynasty. He ruled from 9 AD to 23 AD. 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.