Antique Coin Collecting Fun Facts

Author: Sun Zhonghui / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: The Story of Qi Dao
Qi was the fiefdom of the Jiang Taigong in the early Zhou Dynasty, renowned for its fishing and salt trade, and was the most prosperous among the Eastern states. The large and exquisite Qi dao coins feature inscriptions ranging from three to six characters. Among them, the five-character and six-character coins have elegant and flowing scripts, are rarely found, and have long been prized by collectors. One type of five-character coin bears the inscription "Jiemu zhi fa yue," meaning the legal currency of the Jiemu region. Jiemu, also known as Jimo, is located north of Qingdao in Shandong Province today, and the name has remained unchanged. The seal script on the coin is strikingly similar to modern Chinese characters, suggesting that over two thousand years of have had little impact on Jiemu. Jiemu dao coins come in dozens of different reverse designs, with the two rarest being "Kai Bang" (also interpreted as "Pi Bang") and "An Bang." Based on their craftsmanship, these coins are believed to have been minted from the Spring and Autumn period to the early Warring States period. However, their meaning of "An Bang" seems to be related to historical events in the late Warring States period. The story dates back to the internal strife in the state of Yan. Originally, the elderly King of Yan abdicated in favor of his minister Zi Zhi, which displeased the faction of King Zhao of Yan. In 314 BCE, Yan experienced internal turmoil, and King Xuan of Qi seized the opportunity to launch an attack, overthrowing King Gao of Yan and Zi Zhi, and looting all the treasures and valuable artifacts from the Yan palace. As the saying goes, "Fortune turns like the Yangtze and the Yellow Rivers." With a vengeful King Zhao of Yan, he allied with Qin, Zhao, and Wei, appointing General Yue Yi to lead an army against Qi in 284 BCE (30 years later). The army captured the capital of Linzi and carried away all the treasures and artifacts of Qi, including those looted from Yan. King Hui of Qi was assassinated by the Chu general Naochi, and seventy-three cities of Qi fell to the Yan forces, leaving only Jiemu and Jucheng unoccupied. In 279 BCE, King Zhao of Yan died, and his son, King Hui, ascended the throne. Due to his conflict with Yue Yi, King Hui replaced him with Qi Jie as the commander. The Qi general Tian Dan, who was defending Jiemu, saw an opportunity. On one hand, he sent envoys to negotiate surrender with Qi Jie to deceive the Yan army, while on the other hand, he actively prepared for battle. Using the "Fire Ox Formation," he decisively defeated the Yan forces and recaptured the lost territories of Qi. The Battle of Jiemu turned the tide for Qi, and it is said that the reverse designs "An Bang" and "Kai Bang" on Jiemu coins were inspired by this event. P2