Song dynasty pavilion and figure flower coin

Flower coin is a general term for numismatic charms including yansheng coins, lucky coins, play coins, and folk coins. This was a type of money that was in use in ancient China but was never used for trade. Flower coins were usually cast by government authorities and had exquisite designs. The people that were depicted in the coins were not necessarily lifelike. The coins represent folk customs and everyday life, but also provide a unique kind of beauty. People in the Song dynasty typically used Daoist themes on flower coins. As a result of this Daoist influence, the decoration of the flower coins was often refined and subtle. The topics depicted in flower coins gradually expanded to other areas of life, such as legends, pavilions, terraces, towers, birds, animals, flowers, and plants.