China Ant Nose -Zhou Dynasty 1125 – 255 BC

These ancient bronze ”Ant Nose“ coins date to the Zhou Dynasty (1125-255 BCE), one of the longest and most influential periods in Chinese history. Issued in the State of Chu during the later Warring States era, they reflect the transition from primitive barter with cowrie shells to cast metal coinage. Their distinctive teardrop form with pierced ends and stylized markings earned them the nickname ”Ant Nose,“ a name still used by collectors today. Each coin, over two millennia old, carries a unique patina from centuries in the earth—tangible artifacts of the Zhou Dynasty’s economic and cultural development, and important precursors to the round coins that later defined Chinese currency.