Kaiyuan Tongbao

Kaiyuan Tongbao, was first minted to commemorate the foundation of the Tang dynasty by its first emperor and the development of its monetary system.

It was from the time of this coin onwards that Chinese coins began to be referred to by such titles as yuanbao or tongbao, unlike the coins of the earlier period, whose names were largely based on units of weight.

This particular Kaiyuan Tongbao coin is inscribed with its name on the front face and symbolic figures on its rear face.

After its first issuance it became the model for many subsequent East Asian coins.

For example, coins bearing the same name were made during the Goryeo dynasty in Korea. ...