A cache with a huge amount of coins of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) has been found in Anguo City, north China's Hebei Province.
For the first time a coins cache has been discovered in Hebei, with such a large category and amount of coins. The cache will shed light on the study of the ancient coins of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) and is of value to the study of the economy and culture in the Northern Song Dynasty.
The cache was found in a construction site in the Xingan Community in Anguo City. Archeologists carried out a complete excavation of the cache. Coins in 18 layers were put in order in the interior of the cache 3.1 meters from the ground surface.
Because of weathering, coins were seriously corroded, with some even strung together.
Archaeologists unearthed about 400 kg of coins from the cache. Preliminary excavation shows that most of the coins were made in the Northern Song Dynasty, with a small part made in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
Almost twenty kinds of the coins made throughout the Northern Song Dynasty are available in the cache.
(Xinhua 04/03/2001)
