Northern Song Dynasty. Chun Hua Yuan Bao, 990-994, AV Worship Money (10.9 g, 23.8 mm). The famous royal worship gold. Hand-engraved Buddha and Manjushri on the back with Chinese number "Er" (two) on the rim at 12:00. Same type as No. 224 in the catalogue of the China Numismatic Museum Collections. The legend on the obverse was written by Emperor Tai Zong in semi-cursive script, which started a long tradition for the Song emperors to write the legend on their own coins. A very important and popular ancient Chinese gold coin. Mint State.
The Chun Hua worship coins were mostly found in 1988 when a construction team was cleaning up a historical site that used to be a pagoda in Zhong Tai Ding, Mount Wutai. The area has been a sacred Buddhist site since 68 AD, and widely accepted as the Bodhimanda of Manjushri. Other Song royal worship gold coins have been discovered from pagodas in the same province, including other famous types like gold "Zheng He Tong Bao" and "Xuan He Yuan Bao". This presented piece was among the very few confirmed types of ancient Chinese gold coins. A truly high level worship coin. Estimate Value $20,000 - UP