Two large Chinese characters Wu Zhu ("5 zhu"), with a characteristic rounded "Zhu", additional vertical character "Yi" below the hole ("1"), shallow outside rim / Blank, inside rim, shallow outside rim. 26mm, 3.39 grams. BM Chinese coins (Poole) #398-403var. (without the marks); Hartill 10.2var (see note on page 93); Schjoth 178var (without the marks).

Some Wu Zhus from the Eastern Han dynasty period show a variety of marks or characters, either on obverse or the reverse. The system of placing these characters or "stars"  in different positions on the obverse was probably a way to mark a mint of a particular issue of coins - the system is undecipherable and is not yet understood.

The Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 CE) was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms (220-265 CE). It was founded by the peasant rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty (9-23 CE) of the former regent Wang Mang. This interregnum separates the Han into two periods: the Western Han (206 BCE-9 CE) and Eastern Han (252-20 CE). Spanning over four centuries, the period of the Han Dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history. To this day, China's majority ethnic group refers to itself as the "Han people".

This coin is unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic.