Bingqian

[1][7] The inscription of Huo Quan cash coins is read from right to left and they were cast beginning in the year 14 AD.

[8][7] They also notably use a different calligraphic style than the ones found on Western Han dynasty cash coins, which is believed to have been pioneered on these Bingqian.

[8] It is suspected that these Wang Mang era Bingqian might be an early form of Chinese numismatic charms, but the exact meaning of these symbols remain to be discovered.

[9] During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of the Northern Song dynasty, the era names of Xianping (咸平, 998–1003), Jingde (景德, 1004–1007), Dazhong Xiangfu (大中祥符, 1008–1016), and Tianxi (天禧, 1017–1021) were used.

[1] Because Bingqian are thick, they are sometimes confused for mother coins, this is not only because of both their heavier build and in some cases their deeper cut characters.

[1] These heavy cash coins with wide rims are not standardised in both their size and their weight, which means that a large variety of Bingqian from this period have been recorded.

[1] During the Ming dynasty some Chongzhen Tongbao (traditional Chinese: 崇禎通寶; simplified Chinese: 崇祯通宝 were produced, these cash coins have a diameter of 24 millimeters and a weight of 5.9 grams, as well as si jue (四訣), four lines on the reverse side of the coin radiating outward from the corners of the square-shaped hole in the middle.