Hunan

90. Article: Counterfeiting activities during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) revealed by the special alloy coins in the Chenzhou hoard, Hunan, China

Article

Li FANG, Shengqiang LUO, Wenli ZHOU, Chunxin WANG, Zhengyao JIN, Fang HUANG and Anchuan FAN, “Counterfeiting activities during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE) revealed by the special alloy coins in the Chenzhou hoard, Hunan, China”, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports 49 (2023) ISSN 2352-409X
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2023.103942

Authors

  • Li FANG, USTC Archaeometry Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China, and Department for the History of Science and Scientific Archaeology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
  • Shengqiang LUO, Chenzhou Museum, Chenzhou, Hunan 423000, China
  • Wenli ZHOU, Institute for the History of Natural Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
  • Chunxin WANG, USTC Archaeometry Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China, and Department for the History of Science and Scientific Archaeology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
  • Zhengyao JIN, USTC Archaeometry Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China, and Department for the History of Science and Scientific Archaeology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
  • Fang HUANG, USTC Archaeometry Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China, and School of Earth and Space Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
  • Anchuan FAN, USTC Archaeometry Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China, and Department for the History of Science and Scientific Archaeology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China ang Dynasty; Kaiyuan Tongbao; Counterfeit coins; Speiss; Pb isotope analysis

Highlights

  • First evidence of using speiss for counterfeit coin in ancient China.
  • First comprehensive scientific analysis of Tang Dynasty counterfeit coins.
  • First radiocarbon date for Tang dynasty hoard coins.
  • Lead isotope and elemental correlation demonstrated how local Cu-Pb syngenetic ore was used for minting coins.
  • The easy access of material sources and special manufacture techniques facilitated counterfeiting.

Abstract

Kaiyuan Tongbao coin was the primary circulation currency during the Tang Dynasty. It defined the Chinese coinage model for over a thousand years afterward. Despite repeated government prohibition, coin counterfeiting prevailed through Tang Dynasty. Such activities resulted in a large amount of counterfeit coins entering the market, which undermined economy and led to social instability. However, as a key to exploring the issue of counterfeiting, information on the alloy composition, provenance and the production mode of the counterfeit coins are not yet clear. This paper presents the first comprehensive scientific study on counterfeit coins from a hoard in Hunan Province in South China (a total of 39 kg and approximately 8000 coins were found). Radiocarbon dating of the bamboo weaving wrapped coins indicated that the hoard dated from 668 to 874 CE (Tang Dynasty). Chemical composition analysis, morphological and metallographic images and lead isotope analysis of 78 hoarded Kaiyuan Tongbao coins had been obtained. Combined with historical records, ore materials probably originated from the local Huangshaping and Baoshan polymetallic deposits in the Nanling metallogenic belt in South China. Results showed that there were 16 types of alloy materials, primarily cast alloys of the Cu-Fe-As system. Most of the coins were minted using a Cu-Pb syngenetic ore rich in many elements from Fe, As, Sb, and Sn. One discovery is the utilizing of a by-product of local ore smelting which was called the speiss. The hoard coins studied in this paper provide the first evidence of the use of speiss for coinage in ancient China. Such material sources and manufacture technique made convenience for coin counterfeiting, which explains repeated failures of central government’s attempts to eliminate coin counterfeiting, especially for those mining areas.