中国古代白银货币起源考略

Tracing the Origin of Silver Currency of Ancient China

历史上的扶沟银板、中山银贝、“白金三品”和新莽“银货二品”都不是真正意义上的白银货币。东汉后期,出现了中国最早的白银货币,其代表性实物就是常德出土的银饼。常德银饼形制较为统一,重量有标准,银色高且稳定,有刻意的防伪功能设计,具备早期贵金属货币的特征。这时的白银货币还具有明显的地域性、阶段性特点,所履行的货币职能还不完整、不充分,角色经常在财富宝藏和货币之间摇摆。唐朝是中国早期白银货币的大发展时期,出现了多种形制的白银货币,白银货币职能进一步强化。

None of Fugou silver plate,Zhongshan silver cowrie,'three types of white metal'and the Xin-dynasty'monetary silver of two types'is in a real sense silvery currency.The Chinese silver currency first comes out in the late Eastern-Han dynasty of ancient China with the silver cake unearthed in Changde as the typical containing high and stable silvery content,featured by the precious metal currency of early times,standardized in shape and size and weight,designed with the detection against anti-counterfeit in function.But,on the other hand,the silver currency of that time is not perfect enough in monetary function due to its limited regional and periodic properties,which plays as both treasure and currency alternatively.The Chinese earlier silver currency has got improved rapidly with the Tang era entering with various forms and shapes in currency circulation,therefore,which greatly consolidates the silvery of monetary property.