Warring States, State of Chu, 447 - 220 BCrnAE Four Zhu, 19mm, 2.93 gramsrnObverse: Xia Cai Si Zhu.rnHartill13.68 // Jiaxiang, pg. 194rnrnWhile Hartill assigns this series of coins to the North and South period they bear a remarkable similarity to early block and round coins. Many have been found in tombs so it is possible they were not a circulating coinage. Nevertheless, as evidenced on this rare example it bears a place name, that of Cai, one of the Warring States.rnrnIn Zheng Jiaxiang's 1958 work titled The History of Ancient Money Development in China, he has this to say:rnrnThe round coin with the inscription Xia Cai Si Zhu, read clockwise, characters cut in relief. In ancient times there was (State) Cai, with the capital town named Cai which was located 10 li to the southwest from modern Shangcai Xian in Henan province, later it was moved to Xincai, (New Cai) (modern Xincai Xian), then once again it was relocated to Zhoulai, where the town Xia Cai, (Lower Cai) was founded by the State of Cai, (30 li to the north from modern Shouzhou in Anhui province). During Zhou Dynasty in the 22nd year of Zhen-ding reign period Cai was destroyed by Chu, therefore Xia Cai became the territory of Chu, where this coin was cast in the late period of Warring States, so this coin was issued by the State of Chu".