PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
FOUNDERS OF CHINESE CULTURE SERIES III - LIU BANG, FOUNDER OF THE HAN DYNASTY
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: NATIONAL EMBLEM; DATE BELOW.
REV: LIU BANG CLOAKED, ARMORED AND ON HORSEBACK WITH HEAD TURNED BEHIND AND MOTIONING FORWARD WITH RIGHT HAND; DENOMINATION LEFT.
KM # 145
LIU BANG (b. 246 or 247 BC, d. 195 BC), WAS BORN A PEASANT IN ZHONGYANG VILLAGE AND ROSE TO BECOME THE FIRST RULER AND FOUNDER OF THE HAN DYNASTY (206 BC-220 AD). THERE IS A MYTH CONCERNING LIU BANG'S BIRTH, TELLING OF HIS MOTHER SEEKING REFUGE UNDER A BRIDGE DURING A STORM. THERE WAS LIGHTNING, THUNDER AND A DARKENING SKY. LIU BANG'S FATHER WENT TO BRING HIS WIFE HOME AND FOUND A DRAGON HOVERING OVER HER. HIS MOTHER BECAME PREGNANT AND LIU BANG WAS BORN.
MANY LEGENDS INVOLVE LIU BANG, BUT IT IS KNOWN THAT HE ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A CAPABLE MILITARY COMMANDER AND JOINED IN THE REBELLION AGAINST THE QIN DYNASTY (221-207 BC), CHINA'S FIRST IMPERIAL DYNASTY. HE BECAME A LEADER OF THE REBEL FORCES AGAINST THE QIN AND IS OFTEN PORTRAYED AS A STREET RUFFIAN OR ROGUE. A SHREWD LEADER, HE MANIPULATED HIS SUBJECTS FOR HIS OWN PURPOSES. HE FORBID HIS FOLLOWERS TO KILL OR COMMIT ATROCITIES AGAINST CIVILAINS TO WIN THEIR SUPPORT AND WAS A POPULAR AND CHARISMATIC RULER. LIU BANG DEFEATED THE FORCES OF CHU IN 202 BC, AND UNIFIED CHINA UNDER HIS RULE. HE TOOK THE THRONE AS EMPEROR GAO (GAOZU) AND NAMED HIS DYNASTY "HAN". THE HAN DYNASTY IS CONSIDERED CHINA'S "GOLDEN AGE" AND THE MAJORITY OF CHINA'S ETHNICITY REFER TO THEMSELVES AS "HAN".
CONTAINS 11.318 GRAMS OF .917 FINE GOLD (0.3337 OZ AGW)
23 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 7,000 MITED!