PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
COINS OF INVENTION AND DISCOVERY IN ANCIENT CHINA - SERIES ONE - THE FIRST COMPASS
RARE GOLD ONE-HUNDRED YUAN COIN
CERTIFIED BY NGC PROOF 69 ULTRA CAMEO
OBV: SECTION OF THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA WITH TWO TOWERS; DATE BELOW.
REV: FIRST COMPASS (MAGNETIZED SPOON ON METAL "EARTH" PLATE), CHINESE HORSEMEN WITH "SOUTH POINTING" 3 KINGDOMS PERIOD MILITARY CHARIOT WITH NAVIGATIONAL COMPASS; DENOMINATION BELOW.
THE COMPASS IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FOUR GREATEST CHINESE INVENTIONS.
INVENTED IN CHINA, IT IS BELIEVED DURING THE QIN DYNASTY (221 - 206 BC) BUT POSSIBLY AS EARLY AS THE 400'S BC. THE HAN DYNASTY (206 BC - 220 AD) COMPASS PICTURED ON THIS COIN CONSISTED OF A MAGNETIZED SOUTH INDICATING LADLE (SINAN), AND ALWAYS POINTED SOUTH WHEN POSITIONED ON THE METAL PLATE OR BOARD WHICH REPRESENTED THE EARTH. THE LADLE WAS ORIGINALLY MADE OF LOADSTONE AND THE PLATE OF BRONZE.
KM # 418
CONTAINS 31.1035 GRAMS OF .999 FINE GOLD (1 OZ AGW)
32 MM IN DIAMETER
ONLY 1,000 MINTED!
