XIN: Wang Mang, 7-23 AD, AE key money (17.8g), H-9.13, qi dao wu bai (inscribed knife [value] five hundred), 75 by GBCA Grading Company, VF, ex Dr. Dirk Löer Collection. Wang Mang was a nephew of the Dowager Empress Wang. During his time as her regent, he usurped the throne and founded the Xin Dynasty. He introduced a number of currency reforms, which met with varying degrees of success. The first reform, in AD 7, retained the Wu Zhu coin, but reintroduced two versions of the knife money: the value 500 and value 5000 types which were cast from AD 7-9.

Estimate: USD 500-700