Coin China Xin, Wang Mang - Cash - 14 / 23

This coin was issued during the reign of Wang Mang, founder and sole emperor of the Xin dynasty, between 14 and 23 AD.

The reign of Wang Mang was marked by growing instability. After bringing the Western Han dynasty to an end in 9 AD, he embarked on a series of ambitious reforms, particularly in the monetary sphere. The proliferation of currency types and the repeated changes to nominal values caused severe disruption to trade and contributed to the country's economic instability.

At the same time, several natural disasters, including major floods of the Yellow River in the early 1st century, caused famines and population displacements. These hardships fostered the emergence of peasant revolts, most notably that of the Red Eyebrows, which progressively weakened central power. On the external front, relations with the Xiongnu also deteriorated due to the policy Wang Mang pursued towards them. The Xin dynasty ultimately collapsed in 23 AD when Wang Mang was killed during the fall of Chang'an to rebel forces, paving the way for the restoration of the Han dynasty in its Eastern form.