Recently, Chinese archaeologists discovered more than 2 million copper coins in an ancient tomb in the region of the city of Nanchang, China. The coins are more than 2000 years old. They have on them Chinese symbols, stylized images of mythological heroes and a square opening in the middle.
Initial estimates place the value of the coins at about $157 340. Experts believe that the tomb belonged to Liu He - grandson of emperor Wu, greatest emperor of the Han dynasty. The dynasty ruled between 206 BC and 220 AD.
Experts are hoping that the find, which includes 10 000 other golden, bronze and iron objects, bells, bamboo-crafted goods and tombstone figurines, will shed more light on the lives of the nobility during that period of Chinese history.
The discovery was preceded by 5 years of effort on the part of the archaeologists. 8 tombs have been studied, where great rulers of their time were buried along with their horses and chariots.
Liu He's tomb spreads across an area of about 9 acres. Its walls are 2950 ft (900 m) in perimeter. Side chambers have also been found, with experts postulating that Liu He's wife rests in one of them.
"Our task now is to find artifacts to provide us further clues as to who the other nobles were that were buried in the tomb complex, " says Li Lihang from the National Museum of China. "We hope to find a State or personal seal, which every representative of a prominent family owned at that time, " he adds.
The Chinese began to use coins in trade at around 1200 BC, when instead of buying and selling knife-shaped objects and agricultural implements and supplies, they started to cut small round objects to trade with.
The copper form of currency had holes in the middle so they could be strung together. This way, merchants created large denominations, usually of about 1000 coins per strand, with the shape itself making up a unit of currency, called a tael. It was valued at 35 oz (1 kg) of pure silver.
