china-circa-221-bc-220-ad-qin-dynasty-to-eastern-han-dynasty-item
DenominationBan Liang (半兩)
Country / EmpireChina
Obverse DesignTwo Chinese characters '半兩' (Bàn Liǎng), meaning 'half tael' or 'half ounce', read right to left.
Reverse DesignPlain/blank
Historical Context
The Ban Liang coin was the first standardized currency of unified China, introduced by Emperor Qin Shi Huang around 221 BC. It replaced earlier, more diverse forms of currency and established the circular coin with a square hole as the standard for Chinese coinage for over two millennia. Production continued through the Han Dynasty, though often with significant debasement in weight and quality over time.
