熙寧通宝 Xīníng Tongbao

今见小平、折二铁钱，钱文楷书，又有铜范铁钱重宝篆书。铸于神宗熙宁年间(1068-77)。小平铁钱有元宝及通宝两类，其中元宝类又含铜范铁钱，铸地不明，罕见。其余元宝类及通宝类，均为四川路铸。出土于四川。折二通宝铁钱为陕西路(今陕西、甘肃一带)铸。出土于陕西、四川、甘肃等地。折二样篆书重宝铁钱亦为铜范铁钱，与重宝铜钱同样铸于熙宁四年(1071)后。铸地不明，出土于江苏高邮，罕见。

Today we find both value-1 and value-2 iron cash in 楷书 kaishu (orthodox writing) style, as well as copper patterns of 重宝 zhongbao iron cash in 篆书 zhuanshu (seal script) style. They were cast in the Xining reign (1068-77) of Emperor Song Shenzong. The small size [value-1] iron cash are found as both 元宝 yuanbao and 通宝 tongbao. There are copper patterns of yuanbao, but it is unclear where they were cast, and they are seldom found. The rest of the yuanbao and tongbao were cast in the Sichuan Circuit, and are usually unearthed in Sichuan province. Value-2 iron cash were cast in the Shaanxi Circuit (modern day Shaanxi and Gansu), and are unearthed in Shaanxi, Sichuan and Gansu provinces. There are copper patterns of value-2 zhongbao iron cash in seal script, like the copper zhongbao cast in Xining 4 (1071) and later. Where they were cast is unclear, but they are unearthed in Jiangsu province, and they are rare.

Commentary

I do not know why 两宋铁钱 Liang Song Tie Qian calls the large iron cash value-2, when they are obviously value-3 by metal weight, and other catalogs have denominated them value-3. Unless they weigh less than 10 grams, they will be classed as value-3 in this publication.

LSTQ-139
Xining Tongbao Iron 3 Cash
正字俯宝 Zhengzi fu BAO - Precise characters, BAO "bowing"
Rarity 5a / 9
Commentary
Weight: 13.2 grams - Diameter: 34.2mm - Thickness: 2.7mm

LSTQ-147
Xining Tongbao Iron 3 Cash
长子背月大郭 Zhangzi bei yue daguo - Tall characters, reverse crescent, thick inner rim
Rarity 4a / 7Commentary
Weight: 10.3 grams - Diameter: 33.2mm - Thickness: 2.0mm

LSTQ-149
Xining Tongbao Iron 3 Cash
长子背星 Zhangzi bei xing - Tall characters, reverse star
Rarity 3b / 6
Commentary
Weight: 11.7 grams - Diameter: 33.7mm - Thickness: 2.5mm

LSTQ-153
Xining Tongbao Iron 3 Cash
狭通降通 Xia TONG jiang TONG - Narrow, low TONG
Rarity 5a / 9Commentary
Weight: 11.6 grams - Diameter: 34.0mm - Thickness: 2.5mm

LSTQ-154
Xining Tongbao Iron 3 Cash
狭通长宝 Xia TONG zhang BAO - Narrow TONG, tall BAO
Rarity 5a / 9 Commentary
Weight: 14.4 grams - Diameter: 34.5mm - Thickness: 3.0mm

LSTQ-156
Xining Tongbao Iron 3 Cash
狭通降宝 Xia TONG jiang BAO - Narrow TONG, low BAO
Rarity 5a / 9Commentary
Weight: 12.6 grams - Diameter: 34.2mm - Thickness: 2.5mm

LSTQ-159
Xining Tongbao Iron 3 Cash
仰通降宝 Yang TONG jiang BAO - Upturned TONG, low BAO
Rarity 5a / 9Commentary
Weight: 10.4 grams - Diameter: 32.0mm - Thickness: 2.5mm