Scott No: 1765-1772
Serial number: T71
Values in set: 8
Date of issue: February 2, 1982
Denomination: 190 fen
Designer: Lu Tianjiao
Engraver: Sun Hongnian, Li Qingfa, Yan Binwu, Zhao Shunyi
Size of stamps: 30*40mm
Perforation: 11.5*11
Sheet composition: 50 (10*5)
Printing process: Engraving and photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

T71 "Ancient Chinese Coins (Series II)" special stamps were issued on February 12, 1982. The set consists of 8 stamps, printed by photogravure combined with engraving, designed by Lu Tianjiao, engraved by several engravers working in division of labor, and printed by the Beijing Stamp Factory. It continues T65 "Ancient Chinese Coins (Series I)."

Theme of the Set

This group continues to select metal coins minted by different vassal states during the Warring States period, covering the spade coins, knife coins, and round coins of Chu, Zhao, Yan, Qi, and other states, presenting the diverse coin forms and complicated currency systems of various regions during the Warring States period, showcasing China's pre-Qin coin-casting craftsmanship and coin culture, and serving as physical evidence for studying ancient commodity exchange and regional economic interactions.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background

Ghost-Face Coin

Also called the ant-nose coin, it is a bronze cowrie of the Chu state during the Warring States period. The coin resembles a sea cowrie, with incised characters on its face, and circulated widely within Chu. It is a highly representative ancient currency of the south.

"Shu" Spade Coin

A spade coin of the Chu state, in the shape of a spade, unearthed in the Jianghuai area of Anhui. Chu spade coins have a unique style, clearly different from the Central Plains spade coin system, and were the currency used in Chu's commodity trade.

"Xiazhuan" Spade Coin

Also known as the three-hole spade coin, a rare spade coin of the Warring States period. It has a round head, round shoulders, and round feet, with a hole in the head and in each of the two feet. Very few survive, making it a famous item among ancient coins.

"Gandan" Spade Coin

Gandan is Handan, the capital of the Zhao state. This is a flat-headed, pointed-foot spade coin minted by Zhao, widely used in commercial activities in Zhao's heartland, and a representative of Zhao currency.

Pointed-Head Knife Coin

An early knife coin of the Yan state, with a sharp tip and a slender body, mainly circulating along Yan's northern border. Its form is plain and antique, and it is an earlier style of Yan knife coin.

"Ming" Knife Coin

The most mainstream knife coin of the Yan state, with the character "Ming" cast on its face. Large quantities have been unearthed and its circulation range was wide; it is the typical knife coin of the northern Warring States.

"Jinhua" Knife Coin

A small knife coin minted in the Jinyang area of the Zhao state. Small in size and minted in limited quantities, it is a rare variety among knife coins.

Yi Liu Hua Square-Hole Round Coin

A round coin of the Qi state, round with a square hole, a late Qi currency. The round-with-square-hole form of the round coin laid the formal foundation for the later Qin banliang coin.

Artistic Design Features

Each stamp uses an actual coin as its main subject, paired with a light line-drawing outline of an ancient rubbing, restoring the charm of ancient coin rubbings. The engraving is fine, fully expressing the texture of the coin-face characters, outlines, and rust. The whole set is arranged in sequence by state and coin type—from Chu cowries and Chu spade coins, to the spade coins of the three Jin states, the knife coins of Yan and Zhao, and the round coins of Qi—completely presenting the diverse pattern of Warring States currency. This is a classic special stamp set on the theme of pre-Qin coins; the two high-denomination stamps have relatively small circulations and are the key stamps of the set.