Early Ming dynasty bank note 14th century
Klubbat för:
28000 SEK
Utropspris
30 000-35 000 SEK
Beskrivning
KUANG PAPER-MONEY FROM EARLY MING DYNASTY. Ming dynasty 1 Kwan note of the Hung-wu era (1368-98), produced from 1375. Printed on grey mulberry bark paper, size about 335x222 mm.
The Chinese writing along the top of this Ming note reads ´Da ming tong xing bao chao´ from right to left. This translates as ´Great Ming Circulating Treasure Note´. Below this, the denomination is written in two characters ´yi guan´ (´one string´). Beneath the denomination is a picture of a string of 1000 coins, arranged in ten groups of one hundred coins. Beneath this are the instructions for use and a threat to punish forgers. Paper very thin and fragile, with some very old repairs, partly faded and with some soiling, some folds. Framed.
Description:
1. Two read (vermilion) seal handstamps, one at each side, are located on the note. These stamps are typically not so clear, because they are fading away naturally by the time. The seals of the notes are what signatures are to modern notes.
The red imperial seal is applied on the reverse.
2. At the top are six chinese characters "Ta Ming t´ung Hsing Pao Cha´s (Treasure Note of the Great Ming) in regular (K´ai Shu) style. Text is in black.
3. The outer frame is ornated with dragon patterns surrounding the text. Ornamentation is in black.
4. The upper center is printed with the face value "1 Kuan" (One string) in regular (K´ai Shu) style. "One String" was at this time equivalent to 1000 copper cash or one tael of purse silver or one-fourth tael of gold.
5. The middle center is printed with diagram of ten piles containing ten copper coins, each coin representing the value of 10 cash (this equals 1000 copper cash).
6. On both sides of the center are eight chines characters "Ta Ming Pao Ch´ao, Tien Hsia T´ung Hsing" (The Great Ming note, circulates everywhere) in real (Chuan Shu) style.
7. The lower center is written in chinese and could be translated to "This Ta Ming Pao Cha´o is printed with the approval of the Emperor through the Hu Pao and used side by side with the copper cash. Those who counterfeit Ta Ming Pai Cha´o will be beheaded while an informant will be rewarded with 250 taels of silver with confiscated property of the convicts into the bargain".
The size of the 1 Kuan note is the largest paper-money ever issued.
China was the first country in the world to use paper-money (credit currency). The very oldest paper-money notes are from the 11th and 12th centuries, but these can only be described in general terms for lack of material objects (only fragments are available). This kind of notes was observed by Marco Polo in the 12th century which he referenced to as "flying money".
The oldest paper-money that are preserved until today are those from early Ming dynasty, dated year 1375. These notes are the earliest numismatic printings, also the earliest obtainable commercial printing on paper, and nearly the earliest obtainable printing of anything - a full lifetime before Gutenberg. Only a small number of these paper-money are still available for the numismatic collector.
The Ming notes were made from the mulberry tree.
Auktionsnummer:
6271
Datum:
2016-06-21