In the history of our country, there are several currencies. How did they evolve?

China is one of the earliest countries to use currency, and its currency history can be traced back to ancient times. In the development of thousands of years, it has undergone several extremely significant changes, forming a splendid monetary culture in China.

How much do you know about the types of currencies in China's history? Come and have a look!

First, Babe:

Beibi is regarded as the earliest form of currency in central China, and shells were used as currency in Shang Dynasty. With the development of commodity economy, natural shells as money are in short supply, so artificial shell coins have appeared, such as stone shell coins, bone shell coins, mussel shell coins and so on. Copper metal shell coins appeared in the late Shang Dynasty.

Second, copper coins:

During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, although there were many kinds of currencies, copper coins became increasingly popular and became the main currency for non-governmental commercial exchanges.

1.？ Copper shell: natural shells were used as currency for a long time in Yin Shang and Western Zhou Dynasties, and they were still in circulation during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Because there are not many sources of natural shellfish, in order to meet the needs of circulation, bone shellfish and copper shellfish appeared after the late Western Zhou Dynasty. During the Warring States period, shellfish were mostly made of copper. This kind of copper shell is called ant nose money.

2.？ Knife coins are shaped like knives. First, they may exchange their usual tools-knives. Later, imitation copper was used to make money, and there were imitation knives in the Western Zhou Dynasty. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it was improved into currency circulation. Then, in order to facilitate carrying, reduce its weight and volume, copy its shape, and it becomes a knife coin. Knife coins are mainly popular in Qi, Yan and Zhao. The shape of Qi Dao coin is big and sharp. Yan and Zhao are small, and their heads are square or round.

3.？ Cloth coins are shaped like shovel coins in agricultural tools, which are gradually evolved from shovels and shovels. Cloth coins are mainly popular in Sanjin, namely Korea, Zhao and Wei. In addition, Zhou and Yan are also very popular. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, cloth coins gradually became popular, and their importance was far above knife coins.

4.？ Round notes: that is, round notes with square holes and round holes appear late. This currency began in Zhou Dynasty, and its circulation scope was originally in Zhouwangji.

Third, jiaozi.

Because it is extremely inconvenient to carry a large number of copper coins, cross banknotes appeared in the highly developed Northern Song Dynasty. This is also one of the earliest paper money in the world. But it's more like a money order than paper money in the modern sense.

4、? banknote

In the Ming dynasty, paper money was vigorously promoted. In the early Ming Dynasty, only paper money was used instead of money. Later it was changed to both paper money and paper money. However, in the Ming Dynasty, only one kind of paper money was issued, Daming Treasure Paper Money. Silver became the legal tender in circulation in the Ming Dynasty. Silver was mostly used for large transactions, while paper money or coins were used for small transactions. Ten emperors minted annual coins in the Ming Dynasty. Because of avoiding the word "Yuan" of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, all coins in the Ming Dynasty were collectively called "Bao Tong" and avoided "Yuanbao".