Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) COA 1200 Years old Hui Chang Kai Yuan, Buddhist Statues RUN mint 845 AD

ANCIENT CHINA
1200 Years Old Coin "Hui Chang Kai Yuan "

Cast from Buddhist Statues

Rev:  Provincial mint "    Run" above.

 - Zhexi mint. FD #725.

Hartill: 14.81 or 14.82

Reverse Run, a region in Jiangsu

This coin is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity!

Size: 23 mm; 

Weight: 3.30 grams;

Material: Bronze from Buddhist Statues; 

Tang Dynasty (618-907), emperor Wu Zong (841-847).

Kai Yuan Tong Bao - "Hui Chang" Kai Yuan.

Local mint names on reverse. Refer to FD #709 - #745.

Huichang Kai Yuan 845 A.D.

In 845, in the Huichang period, the Emperor Wu Zong, a fervent follower of Taoism, destroyed the Buddhist monasteries and used the copper bells, gongs, incense burners and statues to cast coins in various localities. These local mints were under the control of the provincial governors. The New Tang History states that Li Shen, governor of Huainan province, requested that the empire might cast coins bearing the name of the prefecture in which they were cast, and this was agreed. These coins with mint names on the reverses, known as Huichang Kai Yuans, are of poor workmanship and size compared with the early Kai Yuans. However, when Xuanzong ascended to the throne the next year, this policy was reversed, and the new coins were recast to make Buddhist statues.

　In order to obtain funds for his military and also to try to purge China of foreign influences, Emperor Wuzong (840-846 AD), a devoted Daoist (Taoist), in the fifth year (845) of his Hui Chang (会昌) reign began to cast coins with the inscription "kai yuan tong bao", the same inscription as used on the coins of Emperor Gaozu at the beginning of the Tang Dynasty.  The coins were made from the bronze obtained from statues, bells and other copper possessions of the Buddhist temples that he ordered confiscated and melted down.  These coins differed from those cast earlier in the dynasty by Emperor Gaozu in that they had the character chang (昌) on the reverse side.  Other mints soon followed with each producing a coin with a character on their reverse side indicating the mint of production.

A total of 23 different mints cast these so-called "hui chang" kai yuan tong bao (会昌开元 通宝) coins including mints at the following locations:

昌 chang for hui chang
京 jing for Jingzhao (Xian)
洛 luo for Luoyang (Henan)
益 yi for Yi Prefecture (Chengdu)
荆 jing for Jing Prefecture (Hubei)
襄 xiang for Xiang Prefecture (Hubei)
蓝 lan for Lantian (Shanxi)
越 yue for Yue Prefecture (Zhejiang)
宣 xuan for Xuan Prefecture (Anhui)
洪 hong for Hong Prefecture (Jiangxi)
潭 tan for Changsha (Hunan)
兖 yan for Yan Prefecture (Shandong)
润 run in Jiangsu
鄂 e for E Prefecture (Wuchang)
平 ping for Ping Prefecture (Zhili)
兴 xing for Xingyuan (Shaanxi)
梁 liang for Liang Prefecture (Shaanxi)
广 guang for Guangzhou (Guangdong)
梓 zi for Dongchuan (Sichuan)
福 fu for Fuzhou (Fujian)
桂 gui for Guiyang (Hunan) or Guizhou (Guangxi)
丹 dan for Dan Prefecture (Shaanxi)
永 yong for Yong Prefecture (Hunan)

Coins with the "yong" (永) for Yong Prefecture are considered the rarest.  Next rarest include those cast at the "fu" (福) for Fuzhou (Fujian), "dan" (丹) for Dan Prefecture (Shaanxi), "gui" (桂) for Guiyang (Hunan) or Guizhou (Guangxi), and "ping" (平) for Ping Prefecture (Zhili) mints.

For coins cast at the Fuzhou (Fujian) mint, the "fu" (福) character is usually located above the square hole.  Coins with the "fu" character below or to the right of the hole are even scarcer.  There is only one known example of a coin with the "fu" character on the reverse but no inscription at all on the obverse side.  This coin is considered to be authentic and apparently was the result of a casting error.

There is a rare version of the "hui chang" kai yuan tong bao with the "jing" (京) character reversed right to left (fan shu 反书) meaning the character appears as its mirror image.

There exists a lead version of the "hui chang" kai yuan tong bao that has the "tan" (潭) for Changsha (Hunan) character on the reverse.

A rare version of kai yuan tong bao from the lan (蓝) for Lantian (Shanxi) mint has three clouds on the reverse.  Another rare variety from this mint has the four character inscription "tai ping da wang" (太平大王).

There are no known authentic kai yuan tong bao coins with the mintmarks yang (扬), shu (蜀) or xi (西).

On the other hand, there allegedly exists a coin believed to be authentic with a "qing" (清) character on the reverse side.