Chinese cash coin sword

Hi everyone! I'm really happy with this buy At a local estate auction I got this for a lot less than I thought I would. I thought from the mediocre photos that it looked to be recently strung (not vintage), and I believe I was right. I do believe the coins are real though and I really want it to hang on the wall above where I look at my coins. I am by no means an expert on these things so let me know what you all think regarding its age and or value. Either way, it makes my day. Thanks !

 

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Enjoy it, use it however you like.

Yes, they are real and some may be 300+ years old, but are exceedingly common, low value coins. If you want to look some up, calgarycoins.com has a great way to look up Ching dynasty cash coins.

Looks like a fun piece.

 

Awesome sword! I think I may make one myself if I can figure it out. It would be cool with cheap holed U.S. coins.

 

Thanks for the site. All of the coins are the same except for the ones on the little.... decoration? thingy. those are smaller and have different characters. My son is all over it I gotta hang it fast

 

I see coins from at least two different emperors in the sword (can't see the mintmarks) Most of the coins seem to be from the early 1700's.

 

My best guess is that the coins themselves are authentic, but assembled much later on about mid 20th century. Curiously I saw a few of these in China, but they are ridiculously expensive particularly when they are all modern fakes. The coins I can identify are from Emperor Chien Lung(1736-1795)

 

There is at least one Emperor Chia-ch'ing (1796 - 1820) piece in the group.

 

Thanks guys! I got the lot it was in for a whopping $3!

 

You dawg! I would pay $3 for that all day long and give it to my 8 year old who loves such things.

 

Great buy! I think you got a really cool coins sword - and what coin swords aren't interesting anyway?

 

$3 would be a great price for the raw coins, nevermind with them crafted into a sword! The string seems quite modern to me. It's probably not an 'original' sword. But for feng shui purposes it's perfect!

 

All I'm getting is a page saying that this domain name is for sale. Got any other suggestions?

 

Great buy! Are you able to sharpen it?

 

You can see the silverish flat metal bar running the length of the blade. Also some type of white metal clamp with metal screws close to the handle. (Top photograph of the group) It was probably made recently. The metal should have been a bronze or copper color, if made in the same time period and alloy as the coins.

 

Here is the link to the Ching coins:

http://www.calgarycoin.com/reference/china/china8.htm#ching

Maybe you typed coins versus coin, my error.

 

AHA! thank you very much!

 

Interesting curio. :smile

 

Pretty neat item, they also have actual swords with coins glued onto them.

 

I have one of the Chinese coin swords that looks pretty much identical to yours. The stringing is old and in bad shape but the best I can tell the coins are the same as yours.
I have had it since 1963 - my stepdad bought it at an antique store of some sort in England when he was in the Air Force and we lived over there. I have not looked at it in years but remembered it when I saw yours.
Rick

 

That Calgary Coin is incredible! They have great info on Chinese coins. I really knew nothing about them, and it's interesting how China kept that monetary system going for 2000 years. The bronze coins look similar, but what's written on them told people the denomination of the coin, which means it functioned as a kind of fiat money system.