The coins of the seven warring states Qin, Chu, Qi, Yan, Zhao, Wei and Han consisted of four kinds of coins: cloth coins, sword coins, ring coins and ant-nose coins (ghost face coins). They were the four major monetary systems of the Warring States period.

Bu coins, shovel-shaped, from the farming economy of agricultural tools "money", "Bo" evolved, which is the reason for the currency called "money". The word "Bu" is a loan word for "Bo". The circulation range of cloth coins, mainly in the middle reaches of the Yellow River in the agricultural economic areas such as South Korea, Zhao, Wei, Yan and so on.

Knife coins, in the form of knife cuts, originated from fishing and hunting economic tools. It was mainly circulated in the eastern vassal states of the Yellow River basin such as Qi, Yan and Zhao. The knife coins of different countries are of different sizes and shapes, among which the knife coins of Qi are the most ancient and exquisite.

Huanqian, round with round holes, is also called ring money. Originating from the spinning wheel or bik ring of the handicraft economic tool, it was mainly circulated in the state of Qin and Wei, and after the middle of the Warring States period, the state of Qin firstly adopted the round money with square holes, which was later copied and minted by the state of Qi and Yan.

Ant-nose money, also known as the ghost face money, is the southern chu cast copper coins, the shape of an irregular oval, above the casting of inscriptions, there is a kind of money like ants crawling on the bridge of the nose, so the name of ant-nose money; the other kind of ugly like the face of ghosts, so the name of the ghost face money. The value of the unit of coins, the use of more convenient.