Banliang Coin

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Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
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When Qin Shihuang (the First Emperor) unified the Warring States in 221 BCE, he standardized the coinage. He made the banliang (half-ounce) coin of the Qin State standard throughout the Empire, and declared all other coins obsolete. The round coin with a square hole became the standard shape of East Asian coins for the next 2000 years. From China, 200s BCE. (The British Museum, London).

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About the Author

Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin
Associate Professor of Neurology and lover of the Cradle of Civilization, Mesopotamia. I'm very interested in Mesopotamian history and always try to take photos of archaeological sites and artifacts in museums, both in Iraq and around the world.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Amin, O. S. M. (2016, October 14). Banliang Coin. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5885/banliang-coin/

Chicago Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Banliang Coin." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified October 14, 2016. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5885/banliang-coin/.

MLA Style

Amin, Osama Shukir Muhammed. "Banliang Coin." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 14 Oct 2016, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/5885/banliang-coin/. Web. 10 Jul 2025.

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