China is a country that has experienced the succession of several imperial dynasties. Under each ruler, new coins were released into circulation, the price of which now reaches several thousand dollars.
Collecting coins is a fun hobby for many people as some coins are of immense value. At the same time, their modern value depends on the number of coins, that is, their circulation, the materials from which they are made, the year and country of issue, which, for the most part, is tens, hundreds and even thousands of times higher than their face value. Paper notes are also collected, but it is the coins that are of great value for numismatists.
Why are Chinese coins highly valued?
It is worth noting that the first coins appeared in China sometime in the eighth century BC, and since then they have been replaced by a great variety. Each coin was issued by a certain dynasty, and when it was changed, money also changed. On Chinese coins, their weight and denomination have always been written, until recently they all had approximately the same design - a round shape, and in the middle there was a carved square. This hole was used so that many coins could be strung on ropes: this way it was much more convenient to transport the currency. Yes, and for large purchases, they were calculated in whole bundles of coins, and not counted one by one.
Along with coins in China, gold and silver bars were also in use, with which one could pay for goods or exchange for money. Due to the fact that the material for the coins was bought abroad, over time, their export from the state was prohibited. This is how the deficit of foreign currency within the country was partially eliminated.
Coins of China were minted mainly from copper, but later it was decided to cast them from brass in order to save on imported raw materials. Silver coins also came into use. Due to the fact that certain models of coins were operated for a short time, and during the change of the dynasty, the rulers were replaced with new money, there are not many coins of certain models left, which determines their high cost. Nowadays, the cost of one old Chinese coin can reach several thousand dollars.
Modern coins of China
Nowadays, simple coins are in use, they no longer have a hole in the middle, which is fundamentally different from their predecessors. The yuan and jiao are widespread in the country. The first are ten jao, each of which, in turn, can be exchanged for ten feny. The latter do not have widespread practical application only because their denomination is too small. Commemorative coins can often be found.
