In the history of China's currency, the first payment is some natural objects, one of which is the seashells. About forty-five thousand years ago China's late neolithic, had made a real currency seashells.

 

According to the scientific and archaeological excavation, in China, late in the era of shells, already had the original metal COINS, bronze imitation seashells, that is to say, the early Chinese COINS conceived in the great bronze era, was born in the 14-11th century BC, has a history of more than 3100 years ago. In the western zhou dynasty (11 - the 8th century BC), bronze pieces become widely used a weighing currency in China. Bronze imitation shells have casting line in this period.

 

The spring and autumn period and the warring states period (770-221 BC), due to the governors regime, China's monetary culture presents a free-spirited momentum, in terms of bronze COINS, and gradually formed a regional currency. In different parts of the COINS, their shape, weight, word mark, monetary unit, alloy composition is different. Monetary shape originated in the tools to shovel in the central plains, called cloth; In northern and eastern regions of monetary shape originated in tool knife cut, called the knife-shaped coin; Southern monetary shape originated in bronze, called YiBiQian; The Midwest monetary shape originated in the spinning wheel (or jade wall), called won money; About in the middle of the warring states later in the square hole circle of money. The master data, in addition to a large number of bronze COINS, also find lead qualitative COINS. During the warring states period, the southern chu also use gold, as gold coin, there are also called mark. Western qin dynasty also had imitated gold coin, in the central plains have Jin Bei, silver, and found a silver.

 

After mid warring states, qin is the main currency "half" square hole circle of money. In 221 BC, the qin dynasty unified China, qin shi huang his monetary system to promote in the country, so the currency has been unified. Unification of the qin dynasty COINS shape, like dried persimmon cake, called the persimmon gold, and the warring states period, also can be used in cutting.

 

Tough because "money", the early western han dynasty, copper also several degrees of weight loss, to the west the emperor, finally established legal copper weight of weight of the system, and centralized policies for the first time, by the third officer responsible for Lin cast money. Wang Mang reigned han later, type the name of restoring ancient ways, actual it is adopts the system of a lot of money, amassing wealth, so the first time in the history of China's currency when thousand, when five thousand a lot of money, and restore the cloth, knife-shaped coin money system. But it's just a flash in the pan, han GuangWuDi reconstruction after the eastern han regime, soon regained weight money system. From then on, the weight of money has been used to the sui end early stage. Is the western han dynasty in Chinese history most times for gold, mainly used in emperor's reward. Gold COINS of the shape of modeled after the horseshoe shape, therefore is called horseshoe and reach to toe gold.

 

Tang Gaozu wude four years began to cast the kaiyuan TongBao money, created the treasures in the history of Chinese monetary system period, from the COINS are no longer with the weight of the inscription, thoroughly get rid of the influence of weighing currency.

 

Use: as a Qian Ming, first appeared in the history of Chinese monetary history in the period of the sixteen "han xing" money, namely into han Li Shouhan hing years (338-343), cast the coin. Title but money is really popular after tang and song dynasty, the northern song dynasty ChunHua (990-994), in general, every change nianhao, will remold new money.

 

Two song (960-1279) is the peak of Chinese ancient COINS, not only the largest number of COINS, species complex, and casting technology of using money also has reached the degree of perfection. On the art of Chinese calligraphy in the song dynasty money has very good reflection, the true, the grass, rows, and transferred to, of all kinds of money during the song dynasty style of qian zhongshu are used. Title and a money of qian zhongshu often use two or more period, at the same time is called "the money", forming the atmosphere, make the song money has higher artistic quality. Southern song dynasty filial piety chunxi, the monetary system had a change, since chunxi seven years, copper qian zhongshu unified instead of song typeface, and began dating in the money back.

 

After the yuan dynasty, the production of Chinese copper COINS tend to be simple, calligraphy commonly used its profundity in criticism rather true style, and the name of the coin is more in name "TongBao" inscription. After mid Ming dynasty, about from jiajing period, gradually changed to brass copper COINS, thus ending the history of the groschen. By the use of paper money and silver currency, is also reflected in the copper, without the HuiZong to is had the right to printing money, and late Ming dynasty, right money came into being.

 

Chinese ancient COINS that have been taken of the casting process, the square hole circle shape of money has been used to the early years of the republic of China in the late qing dynasty, to the last three years of the republic of China. Influenced by the western monetary culture, qing guangxu 26 years, first in guangdong TongYuan created new mechanism, and at that time, to emulate, a lot of issue. New TongYuan beginning is as a token mechanism of silver, but in the process of circulation, in fact largely replaced the square hole circle money. Mechanism TongYuan only a short span of 30 years of history. After adopted a policy of fiat 1935, will gradually withdraw from the historical stage, but TongYuan species is extremely complex.

 

Before the tang dynasty in China, the use of silver is very limited, and most used in foreign trade. The use of silver in two more gradually up, after the song dynasty remaining on the physical, silver collar has a lot of song, yuan. But silver real value measurement of position, it is between Ming zong orthodoxy. In the history of China's currency, silver as a weighing currency for a long time, to clear the light later, just had the silver casting. Guangdong ShiZhu guangxu fifteen years guangxu wing dragon pattern after silver, the mechanism of the provinces to compete to imitation, wide circulation. And silver as a truly unified national currency, it is three years of the republic of China issued after yuan shikai head silver, until 24 years of the republic of China adopted a policy of fiat, only more than 20 years of time.

 

China paper produced in the northern song period, first launched by some of the rich merchant in sichuan area, used in the civil circulation, called jiaozi. Used in the civil circulation, referred to as a personal, north of the first year of the movable day (1023), the government set "jiaozi services" in the profit, and officially released in the second hand, instead of a personal, this is the earliest paper money issued by the government. Early notes, and names and complex, system specification, after the practice of the song and jin period, to the yuan dynasty (1279-1368), notes has become China's leading currencies, it also had great influence to the west. To the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) notes unified name for "daming can treasure money". Qing dynasty notes, once stop to xianfeng three years, because of fiscal constraints, reissue again "qing bao chao" and "book of official ticket". For these ancient notes and coin system called GuChao. China's new banknotes, appeared in the 21st year reign of qing emperor guangxu (1895), namely by the northern railway administration officer road and Taiwan issues of silver ticket. In the twenty-third year of guangxu the establishment of the commercial bank of China is the earliest bank of China, from now on is the bank of China to issue certificates.

 

China's currency in ancient society has come a long road of independent development, created a great personality characteristics of monetary culture, also affect the east Asia, southeast Asia and other regions and countries.

 

Established in December 1948, the people's bank of China, and began to issue renminbi, China's monetary unification issue again.

 

In 1979, the people's bank of China issued the first set of China's modern precious metal commemorative COINS, "the 30th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of gold", which opened the prelude of China's modern precious metal commemorative COINS issued. After 24 years of development, the people's bank of China were selling 10 series, more than 1500 kinds of precious metal commemorative COINS, material including gold, silver, platinum and other precious metals or their alloys. As an integral part of the yuan, modern precious metal commemorative COINS with its wide range of subject matter, rich content and profound implied meaning and novel design, exquisite carving, excellent casting, as well as the rich national characteristics and unique artistic style, more enriched the content of the yuan, and is famous in the world.