When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
HIS STORY TREASURES PRESENTS
AN ANCIENT CHINESE LARGE LU-TYPE BRONZE SHELL MONEY
PRE-QIN PERIOD · BEFORE 221 BC
BAO CUI 极美 88 · CERTIFICATION NO. B002060041
A SURVIVING LINK TO THE BIRTH OF CHINESE MONEY
Long before China’s familiar round coins with square central holes appeared, shells served as one of the earliest recognized forms of wealth and exchange.
This remarkable bronze object preserves that ancient monetary tradition. Cast in the form of a cowrie shell, it represents the transitional age when early Chinese societies began reproducing valuable natural shells in durable bronze.
Certified by Bao Cui as a “Large Lu Shell Currency” (大型鲁贝币), this substantial 40 mm example belongs to a distinctive category traditionally associated with the ancient State of Lu and the Shandong region.
THE STORY
In early China, natural cowrie shells were treasured because they were attractive, portable, countable and difficult to obtain far from the coast. Their importance became permanently embedded in the Chinese language: many characters associated with wealth, trade and value contain the 貝 radical, meaning “cowrie” or “shell.”
As bronze-working technology developed, artisans began creating durable imitations of these valuable shells. These bronze forms occupy a fascinating position between commodity money and formally issued coinage.
This example follows the elongated, pointed form traditionally identified by Chinese numismatists as a Large Lu-type shell currency. Unlike the smaller rounded bronze cowries more commonly encountered, the piece measures approximately 40 mm and has two perforations. Such holes may have facilitated stringing, carrying or attachment, reflecting the practical traditions inherited from natural shell money.
THE LAND OF LU
The State of Lu occupied part of present-day Shandong during the Zhou era. Although politically smaller than many neighboring states, Lu became one of the most culturally influential states in Chinese history.
It was the homeland of Confucius, born in 551 BC, and was renowned for preserving Zhou ritual traditions. Against this historical background, Lu-type shell money represents more than an early medium of exchange—it evokes a formative world in which regional states, ritual culture, bronze technology and emerging monetary systems developed side by side.
FROM SHELLS TO COINS
Pre-Qin China did not possess a single unified currency. Different regions adopted different forms of money, including:
• Cowrie and bronze shell money
• Spade money in the Central Plains
• Knife money in northern and eastern states
• Ant-nose money in the State of Chu
• Early round coins in several regional economies
Only after the Qin unification in 221 BC did the round Ban Liang coin become the standard across the empire.
This bronze shell therefore comes from an earlier and more experimental chapter in Chinese monetary history—a time before the familiar form of the Chinese cash coin had become dominant.
ITEM DETAILS
Period: Pre-Qin China
Traditional attribution: Ancient State of Lu / Shandong region
Type: Large Lu-type bronze shell currency
Chinese attribution: 先秦 大型鲁贝币
Material: Bronze
Form: Elongated shell or leaf shape
Length: Approximately 40.0 mm
Thickness: Approximately 3.3 mm
Weight: Approximately 6.8 g
Grade: Bao Cui 极美 88
Certification number: B002060041
Certification status: Verifiable through the Bao Cui online database
CONDITION
The piece displays an ancient green and blue-green surface patina with earthen deposits, oxidation, surface roughness and irregularities consistent with an excavated bronze artifact of considerable age.
Both original perforations and the pointed outline remain clearly visible. Please inspect all enlarged photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition description.
The certification holder may display minor storage or handling marks.
CERTIFICATION AND ATTRIBUTION
This piece has been examined, attributed and encapsulated by Bao Cui, a Chinese third-party grading and authentication service. The certification number B002060041 and corresponding reference photographs can be located through Bao Cui’s official online database.
The English description “Large Lu-type bronze shell money” follows the Chinese attribution printed on the holder. Because this is an uninscribed early monetary form, its exact issuing authority and date cannot be independently established from an inscription.
The item offered is the exact certified piece shown in the photographs—not a reproduction or modern souvenir.
WHY COLLECT THIS PIECE?
• A distinctive example of early Chinese bronze money
• Large 40 mm Lu-type form
• Originates from the formative Pre-Qin monetary tradition
• Represents the transition from natural cowries to cast bronze currency
• Certified and encapsulated by Bao Cui
• Certification information available through the official database
• Strong connection to the ancient monetary culture of Shandong
• An excellent companion to knife, spade, ant-nose or early round money
A FASCINATING PIECE FOR
• Collectors of ancient Chinese currency
• Pre-Qin and Zhou-period specialists
• Students of primitive and pre-coinage money
• Collectors of cowrie and shell-form currency
• Chinese history and archaeology enthusiasts
• Educational displays tracing the development of money
SHIPPING
The certified holder will be securely protected and carefully packed for shipment.
Tracking will be provided. Appropriate insured or signature-confirmed shipping may be used depending on the destination and final order value.
International buyers are responsible for any applicable customs duties, import taxes or local charges.
RETURN POLICY
Returns are accepted within the stated return period, provided the item remains in its original, unopened and unaltered certification holder.
Please review all photographs and attribution details carefully before purchasing.
HISTORY YOU CAN HOLD
This is not simply an ancient bronze object. It represents one of humanity’s most important economic transformations—the moment when the familiar shape of a natural object of value was recreated in metal and gradually evolved toward coinage.
From the shell-based economy of early China to the standardized cash coins of the Qin Empire, this Large Lu-type bronze shell preserves an extraordinary chapter in the history of money.
His Story Treasures—Preserving the Past, One Treasure at a Time.
A portion of the net profit from our sales is donated to charitable causes.
