350 BC
CHINESE COPPER COINS
CHINA
The design of the Chinese coin with its square middle was so that one could string the coins together to create higher denominations, something that was done frequently due to the coin’s low value. The number of coins in a string of cash varied over time and from place to place, but was normally 100 coins, which in a bundle of 10 made 1,000, equivalent to one tael of pure silver.