, Bei Coin, is the earliest currency in China. Primitive society, the first to barter, because of the inconvenience of trading, gradually developed a convenient settlement unit. Natural seashells are beautiful, easy to carry, but also have their rarity, so in the commodity economy and society, the burden of monetary functions. With the expansion of economic scale, natural seashells are not enough to use, and imitation shellfish made of various materials have begun to appear, including stone shellfish, pottery shellfish, jade shellfish, copper shellfish, silver shellfish, gold shellfish, etc., and copper shellfish has also developed various forms 。

　such as gilding, silver, and gold. Among these imitation shellfish, the most representative is the real Chinese civilization, as a result, the earliest metal currency in the history of world civilization appeared in the late Shang Dynasty (has been engaged in antique collection for th-has been engaged in antique collection for 2002008 engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for 002008 engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for 2008 engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for th century BC), hundreds of years earlier than the earliest metal currency in the West, the lion coin of Lydia in the seventh century BC. Copper shells have many advantages in trading; seashells are scarce in quantity and may not be enough to trade, and their quality is uneven; other materials of imitation shells lack practicality. In addition to the standard of weight and quality, bronze was very practical in ancient society. Bronze was needed from farm tools to sacrificial rituals. In ancient times, the word "gold" actually refers to bronze. And bronze can be re-cast into supplies, the rest of the imitation shell can not do other use. The appearance of bronze shells can be said to be the origin of bronze as the main medium of exchange. The subsequent appearance of knife coins, cloth coins, etc. is only a change in form. Bronze is still used as the medium 。

　of exchange. Copper shells have many forms and have been used for a long time. From the late Yin and Shang dynasties to the Western Zhou Dynasty, they have been in circulation until the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, with Lu Guoxing the longest use. Zuo Chuanyun, Lu State "Yin people six", to the Warring States still walk copper shell, derived from the cultural tradition of Yin people here. The ant nose money and grimace money of Chu (as shown in Figure has been engaged in antique collection for ) are a variant of bronze shells, so they are also called "bronze shells with literature", which were published in the late Spring and Autumn Period until Chu died in Qin. In remote areas of Yunnan and Guizhou, it was still in use even in the early Qing Dynasty. The ancient money books in the market, referring to bronze shells, all briefly wrote that they were cast in the late Shang Dynasty. In fact, the common flat bronze shells on the market have nothing to do with the Shang Dynasty. They should be the products of the Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period (as shown in Figure 2002008 engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for )。

　, the bronze shells of the real Shang Dynasty are very rare. In has been engaged in antique collection for has been engaged in antique collection for has been engaged in antique collection for , three small bronze shells were unearthed in the Shang Dynasty tombs in Dasikong Village, Anyang County, Henan Province, which was the first official archaeological record of bronze shells unearthed in the Shang Dynasty; in has been engaged in antique collection for 2002008 engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for has been engaged in antique collection for , has been engaged in antique collection for has been engaged in antique collection for large bronze shells (as shown in Figure has been engaged in antique collection for ) were unearthed in the Shang Dynasty tombs in Linzhaiyu Village, Baode County, Shanxi Province, which was the largest number of large bronze shells unearthed. A total of the Shang Dynasty copper shell, still very few. The bronze shells of the Shang Dynasty were well-made, with clear teeth lines and tall and straight shapes. They were obviously different from 。

　the common bronze shells of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period (as shown in Figure 2002008 engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for ). They should be objects after the Warring States Period. Due to the high market price of gilded and gilded bronze shells, and most collectors do not know how to distinguish between gilded and gilded bronze shells, some people take gilded or gilded bronze shells in order to get a good price. When purchasing, they should pay more attention 。

　to the important position of gilded and gilded bronze shells in China's monetary system. Unfortunately, gilded bronze shells are not beautifully made and collectors do not pay much attention to it. This brief discussion, hope can send a brick to attract jade effect 。

                  
          Figure has been engaged in antique collection for : Shang Dynasty Baode Copper Bei Figure 2002008 engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for : The most common copper shell system on the market, circulated in the Spring and Autumn Period Warring States Period  
               
Figure has been engaged in antique collection for : Chubei, left for grimace money, right for ant nose money Figure 2002008 engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for engaged in calligraphy and painting collection, appraisal and auction work for : Bao Jinbei  
             
                    Figure has been engaged in antique collection for : Large Rubei