771 avant J.-C. Ancient bone cowrie-coin (no teeth/holes), W.Zhou, 1046-771 BC, China (Schjoth#A7)

Primitive earliest Chinese coinage - cowrie shell imitation made out of bone without holes or "teeth". 21mm long, 2.29 grams. Hartill type #1.2 var.; Schjoth #A-7 (for a bone type).

Cowries were used as primitive money in China since the 2nd millenium BC. Later on, bronze cowrie-shaped coins and cowrie-shaped coins made out of carved bone (like this piece) were used as money. Schjoth dated the bone types to c.850 BCE, but it is likely these were produced continuously for hundreds of years under the Western Zhou and possibly earlier.

This coin is unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic.

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