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His Story Treasures Presents: A Coin from the Age of the Mongol World Empire – 1309 Zhida Tongbao
In the year 1309, the world was more connected than ever before.
The Mongol Empire, founded by Genghis Khan little more than a century earlier, had transformed Eurasia into an interconnected network of trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange. Merchants traveled thousands of miles across the Silk Road, carrying silk, porcelain, spices, precious metals, and ideas between East and West.
It was during this remarkable era that this Zhida Tongbao (至大通寶) was issued.
Struck under the reign of Emperor Wuzong of Yuan, the coin belongs to the brief Zhida era (1308–1311), one of the shortest reign titles of the Yuan Dynasty. Because of its limited period of production, Zhida coinage represents a fascinating and finite chapter within China’s monetary history.
The inscription 「至大通寶」 may be translated as “Circulating Treasure of Supreme Greatness.” These coins circulated throughout the vast territories of the Yuan Empire, an empire that stretched from the Pacific coast deep into Central Asia and beyond.
During the lifetime of this coin:
* The Silk Road flourished under Mongol protection.
* Caravans crossed deserts and mountain ranges linking China with Persia and the Mediterranean world.
* Foreign merchants, scholars, and travelers moved across Eurasia with unprecedented freedom.
* Chinese inventions, technologies, and culture continued to spread across continents.
Though modest in size, this coin once participated in one of history’s greatest trading networks. It may have passed through the hands of merchants, officials, craftsmen, soldiers, or travelers living during a period when China stood at the center of a truly global empire.
The deep blue and green mineral deposits preserved on this specimen reflect centuries of burial and survival, creating a distinctive appearance that speaks to its long journey through time.
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Item Details
* Dynasty: Yuan Dynasty (元朝)
* Emperor: Yuan Wuzong (元武宗)
* Era: Zhida (至大)
* Date: 1309
* Type: Zhida Tongbao (至大通寶)
* Certification: GBCA
* Grade: 美85
* Diameter: 24.5 mm
* Weight: 3.4 g
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At His Story Treasures, we believe every artifact carries a story. This coin is more than a medieval currency—it is a surviving witness to the age when the Silk Road reached its greatest extent and the Mongol Empire connected the civilizations of Eurasia.
