I big group of Chinese ancient coins arrived yesterday with a couple of impressive books. As I don't read Chinese I don't know the author. Vol 1 is illustrations and 2 is text. Perhaps a 1,000 pages each vol. They have been professionally rebound by JARO Johore Area Rehabilitiation Organisation, Johore Bahru? Conserved by Gerard K FOK. http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad158/marbury518/IMG_1555.jpg http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad158/marbury518/IMG_1556.jpg http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad158/marbury518/IMG_1557.jpg Three very large 'coins' amulets or fantasy issues I imagine.....not found these ones on the net but similar. Largest coin 53g, others 27.1g and 27.4g. http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad158/marbury518/IMG_1558.jpg http://i931.photobucket.com/albums/ad158/marbury518/IMG_1559.jpg
You don't show anything but the rebound spine of the books so I can't tell much about those, but I suspect it might be a copy of Ding, less likely (Because I would expect it to be larger) would be a copy of Coole. And yes the last three are amulets or charms not coins. (an original copy of Ding would be impressive in its own right.)
Further scans Hope these additional scans might help. There's a bit of foxing here and there so might have some age to it.
I'm fairly sure that is a copy of Ding. The copies of Coole that I have seen had his name in english on them. If I had my copy of Fisher-Ding with me I could be sure. (Fishers-Ding is a translated copy with both the Chinese and english translated text.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvNU3H4UFP4&feature=youtu.be These volumes have no English text in at all.........made video just in case it helps.
I wish I could help, but I will say I enjoyed watching the video. The books are in beautiful condition, and the grave coins are indeed creepy - if in fact they were taken from graves.
I had it translated at my local take-away........it is an orignal copy of Ding.......no parts translated in English but perhaps a later reissue/reprint.......published by the Zhonghua Book Company, Beijing.
Ding Fu Bao was the most comprehensive listing of Chinese coins. Problem was that there were no numbers next to the coins, so other collectors never knew to which coin someone else was referring. So Fisher numbered Ding's book, and that is what we call Fisher's Ding. It and Schjoth, (and maybe Coole), were the only references really for Chinese coins until Hartill. Now there is Hartill, most other references basically sit around gathering dust. I own all of them, and have not pulled one out in quite a while.
The book was written by "Ding" but it is not the one translated by Fisher. Fisher translated the book usually referred to in the Western world as the "Catalog". Your book is a reprint of the much more comprehensive two-volume work written by Ding Fubao and referred to in the West as the "Encyclopedia". I also have this book and used it extensively in the past. I do not believe it has ever been translated into English. Regarding the two charms, please see this article which explains the various symbols. The third piece is a coin cast in Henan during the reign of Emperor Wen Zong. The inscription reads xian feng yuan bao (咸豐元寶) and it has a denomination of "One Hundred" (dang bai 當百). Please be aware that there are many contemporary and modern reproductions of the xian feng coins. Gary
Thanks for the info manymore........my book is also 2 volume and is an early 80's reprint. The heavy cast coin sold immediately with another large 'coin' with reigndeer on it. Those two paid for nearly the whole 300 plus coins. I have put quite a few on e-bay but feel I don't have the time to go through every coin so see what I have. Kept one album back at the moment as it has dates on it so might be easier to look up.
Thanks Gary. I guess I always heard Fisher translated Fu Bao, but left out the charms section, and only did the coins. That must have been wrong.
Hope the Wen Zong 100 wasn't worth too much.....otherwise won't be happy putting it in the post.....sold for about 35 dollars....