During the Han Dynasty, the Wu Zhu coin was commissioned during the reign of Emperor Han Wu Ti. It became the longest circulating coins in the Chinese history lasting about 739 years til its withdrawal during the Sui and Tang Dynasty. The elm leaf Ban Liang was minted to replace the Qin Ban Liang, which was considered to use too much bronze and too heavy by Han Emperor, Gao Zhu. The distinctive elm leaf Ban Liang is small and light.