Ban Liang

The Ban Liang coin marked the Qin Dynasty's first attempt at a truly standardized currency, with its simple inscription meaning "half ounce" in weight, which helped unify a fractious empire.

This bronze cast coin featured a square hole in the center, a practical design for stringing multiples together. Variations in size and weight occurred over its century-long run, from heavy early issues to lighter ones as metal grew scarce. We don't know the exact production figures; records from that era are scarce.

Qin Shi Huang's reforms extended to coinage, ditching the chaotic mix of earlier currencies. That said, not every Ban Liang was a perfect specimen; wear from circulation was common.

Some say these coins brought economic stability, but that's likely overstated. They were tools, not miracles.