Four Chinese characters Zheng Long Yuan Bao (clockwise) / Blank. 24.5mm, 3.54 grams. Issued 1158-1161 AD. Schjoth #1083; Hartill 18.40.

Excellent coin with thick original green patina.

Wan Yan Liang (also known as Prince Hailing, 1122–1161 CE) was an emperor of the Jin dynasty in northern China, ruling from 1149 to 1161 CE. Originally a prince, he seized the throne through a coup, murdering Emperor Xizong and several royal family members to secure his power. Ambitious and ruthless, Wan Yan Liang sought to strengthen central authority, expand Jin dominance, and even planned the full conquest of Southern Song China. He moved the capital to Yanjing (modern Beijing) and initiated large construction projects. However, his harsh rule and heavy demands provoked widespread resentment among officials and generals. During a failed military campaign against the Southern Song, Wan Yan Liang was assassinated by his own officers in 1161, ending his turbulent reign and leading to political upheaval within the Jin dynasty.

The Jin Dynasty, also known as the Jurchen Dynasty, was founded by the Wanyan clan of the Tartar Jurchens, the ancestors of the Manchus who established the Qing Dynasty some 500 years later. The Jurcheds carved a large Kingdom out of the Song realm and controlled the northern half of China for over a century, with the southern part controlled by the Song dynasty. The Kingdom came to an end when an allied army of Song and Mongols looted the capital in 1233, and the next year Jin Emperor Aizong committed suicide to avoid being captured. The territory of the Jin was to be divided between the Mongols and the Song.

This coin is unconditionally guaranteed to be authentic