Name/Title
BCE 0475 - 0221 CHINA, Warring States Period. c. 475–221 BCE. Bronze Spade Money, Flat Handle with Square Foot.Description
Warring States Square-Foot Spade Money (c. 475–221 BCE)
Ancient China
This bronze object is a form of spade money, one of the principal monetary types used in China during the Warring States period. Derived from agricultural tools, spade money functioned as currency rather than as implements, reflecting a transitional stage in the development of coinage. The flat handle and square foot identify this example as a later variety, produced as monetary systems became more standardized in the centuries preceding imperial unification.
One face bears incised characters that likely indicate a mint, region, or authority, while the reverse is marked only by linear grooves formed during casting or finishing. Objects like this circulated alongside other tool-shaped and early round currencies, facilitating trade in a politically fragmented landscape. Today, spade money offers insight into how early societies adapted familiar forms to express value, authority, and economic exchange long before the introduction of standardized coinage.
Certified 80 by Gong Bo
Grading, 47.1mm. 8.1gm.Create Date
October 8, 2025Update Date
May 18, 2026
