Coin: Mongol Empire, Yüan Dynasty, Da Yüan Tong Bao (Great Yüan General Currency) struck during the reign of Emperor Hai-Shan (Qayshan Gülük)

Coin cast during the reign of Mongol Emperor Hai-Shan (Qayshan Gülük, or Külüg Khan, also known as Wuzong of Yüan, or Wu Tsung), 1307–1311
Copper or bronze Ta Yüan tong bao (Da Yüan tong bao), equivalent of ten cash (wen) coins, 1310 and 1311
Mint: unknown, possibly Ta-Tu (Dadu), the Mongol imperial capital (Peking, modern Beijing), or Nanjing

Obverse: Inscription of four character units located around a square central hole: Ta (da) Yüan tong bao (in Chinese: 大元通宝), translated as “Mongol general currency” (Mongolian ‘Phags-pa, or seal script)

Reverse: blank

In ‘Phags-pa, the letters within a word are connected by a guideline to the right. The inscription on this coin reads, Ta (at the top of the coin), Yüan (bottom), tong (left), bao (right). Da (or Ta) Yüan means ‘great origins’ in Chinese. When the Mongols consolidated their control over China in the middle of the 13th century, this was the dynasty name that Qubilai Khan chose. The Mongol dynasty is also often referred to simply as the Yüan dynasty. Thus, the translation of the first two words on this coin is simply ‘Mongol’ or ‘Ta Yüan.’

Peter Michalove, A Guide to Reading Mongolian Texts in the 'Phags-pa Script, published by the Mongolia Society, 2004.