Came across this coin today but have no idea where to start my research. Can anyone point me to a post or a good website to start researching this coin?
Might be worth learning—takes some practice but really fun and very rewarding. I learned using the system laid out in Matthew’s Chinese-English Dictionary. You can learn the system in a few minutes—just counting strokes and looking up “radicals.” I don’t collect Chinese coins but I’d imagine it would be very useful.
I think I narrowed down the time period - 1102-1106 AD but not the specific coin -- Yet. I found a picture of a similar coin here (no reference) and here (a coin from the Huizong period of Northern Song Dynasty (1102-1106 A.D.) however this coin has a blank reverse where my coin has the same characters on the front and back. My coin also has a diameter of 33mm and a weight of 8g however the coin referenced above is 36.24MM and 11.7g but it was a lead. I believe the characters on the right and left reference "zhong bao" (重寶) or "heavy currency". I also believe the characters on the top and bottom reference "chong ning" (崇寧) This led me to a complete story of Chongning Chongbao coinage. Also referenced here. I found these references helpful: I'll be purchasing this book. https://www.nms.ac.uk/media/1161122...ide-to-chinese-qing-dynasty-coins-qin-cao.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_cash_coins_by_inscription https://www.calgarycoin.com/reference/china/china.htm#index continuing the search.
Happy hunting. I just researched by first one a couple of days ago. The journey was much more rewarding than the value of the coin. I’ll have to look at your work in the morning on a much larger screen.
There are a lot of the coins with a blank reverse for sale on ebay but none with the same obverse/reverse or same diameter/weight.
From ChatGPT: What Chongning Chongbao coinage from the Northern Song Dynasty has the same obverse and reverse? Chongning Chongbao coins were a type of Chinese coinage issued during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). These coins typically had a square hole in the center and four characters inscribed around the hole on the obverse and reverse sides. The inscription typically consisted of the characters "Chong Ning Chong Bao," which can be translated as "weight standard coin of Chongning." It is not uncommon for coins to have the same design on both the obverse and reverse sides. This is known as a "uniform" or "uniface" design. However, I cannot say with certainty whether any specific Chongning Chongbao coins had uniform designs on both the obverse and reverse sides without more information. It is possible that some issues of Chongning Chongbao coins may have had uniform designs, while others may have had different designs on the obverse and reverse.
The center hole has a different shape in the two images. Sloppy editing or two different coins? There are no coins listed in Hartill with Chong Ning zhong bao on both sides and none that I can find at Zeno. https://www.zeno.ru/showgallery.php?cat=8561 I highly recommend the Hartill book for anyone with even a passing interest in cast Chinese coinage.
Looks like you have it on your purchasing list, but agreed: Cast Chinese Coins by David Hartill. Good book. It is line drawings, but pretty good. Also, I learned that he sized the drawings to the actual size of the coins. Helps when you place the coin onto the drawings in the book. https://smile.amazon.com/Cast-Chine...vid+hartill+cast+chinese+coins,aps,139&sr=8-2
Definitely get Hartill's book. His the one of the most comprehensive catalog and references on Chinese coinage currently available and is the defacto reference for Chinese cash coinage in English and many western catalogs. Yours is a Northern Song Dynasty Chong Ning Chong Bao. It is one of a few variants of a very rich variety of coins issued in one of the most prolific periods in Chinese history. These were issued by Emperor Huizong of the Song who was a gifted artist. There is also a famous and beautiful golden slender script in his calligraphic style. Chinese coinage is very rich and is extremely popular now especially among Asian collectors and growing western interest. I collect Chinese coins as an area of specialization among a few other members here. Depending on the issue and style, some are very rare and highly sought after depending on the period, emperor and most importantly the rarity.
thank you very much for the thoughtful response. This is a new frontier for me. I love numismatics because of what it can teach you about history. I do have one question: Is it a) “Chong Ning chong bao” or b) “Chong Ning zhong bao”… the reason I ask is that I can’t find a reference for a) (but my Hartill book has not arrived yet)
My pleasure.. It should be Chong Ning Zhong Bao based in the standard Pinyin system. Older books may write it as Chong Bao but that was pre PRC times where there was a lack of a standardized western pronunciation system in place. Zhong Bao means "Heavy Treasure" by the way hence depicting this as a larger denomination coin.. Likely a 10 cash.
My Hartill book arrived. Here is the page referencing the coin. Any idea why there is no reverse pictures for 16.406, 7, 8 and 9?
