Two “Ant Nose” (yibi) Coins

TWO "ANT NOSE" (YIBI) COINS

Eastern ZhoU dynasty, Warring States period (475 – 221 BCE)
Reportedly discovered in Shouzhou (centered in present-day Shou County, Anhui province)
Inventory number: XLIX:I:C.a.01.

These simple drop-shaped coins were minted by the state of Chu during the Warring States period. They were inspired by cowrie shells, which was an older form of currency. The term “ant nose” was due to the inscriptions on the coins looking like faces on some types of these coins (right). They are also known as “ghost face coins” (guilian qian) for the same reason. The holes in the coins allowed them to be strung together.