What is the size and apparent metallic content? The legend in the top picture is in the script used for personal seals, and I'm only aware of one forum member (manymore) who is able to read it. The two vertical characters in the middle of the bottom picture are the denomination 1 liang/tael, and the two horizontal characters represent a regnal year, but I can't read it. A similar item was recently identified by manymore as having been minted in Jilin (Province) in northeast China in 1884. This one is definitely from a different Emperor's reign.
Hi, thank you for answer. It is unusual big (I will put a picture) almost 4.5 cm. I don't know what metal is, I'm not good at this
Hi iulint, Thank you for the private message which I received today. Hontonai is quite correct in saying that this coin is similar to the other coin that was recently posted. In fact, except for the date, the inscriptions on both the obverse and reverse side of the two coins are identical. Both coins are written in ancient seal script and there are slight stylistic differences but if you look at the image in this post, you will see that the only difference between the inscription on your coin and that on the other is the third character down on the far right column. The character on the other coin looks like a "cross" which is actually the Chinese number for "ten". On your coin, the character looks more like two curved vertical lines and is the number "eight". The inscription on your coin states that it was made in the 8th year of the Guang Xu reign of Emperor De Zong of the Qing (Ch'ing) Dynasty which would be the year 1882. The inscription further states that the coin was produced at the "Machinery Bureau" in Jilin which is a province in northeast China. The inscription on the reverse side of your coin is also identical to that on the other coin. On your coin, the characters are read in the following order: top, bottom, right, left. (The reverse of the other coin is read top left, bottom left, top right, bottom right). The inscription says that the denomination is "one liang" (top and bottom characters) which is "one tael". The other two characters (right and left) indicate that the denomination is according to the "Factory Scale". During the late years of the Qing Dynasty, the government used several different standards when it came to paying and receiving in silver. Depending on the situation, there was the "Official Scale", "Commercial Scale", "Treasury Scale", "Taxes Scale" and "Customs Scale". According to your coin, there must have also been a "Factory Scale". I have a strong interest in trying to understand other cultures through their use of symbols. On the reverse side of your coin, I interpret the small circles with the dots in the middle as representing the "sun". The symbols at the corners of the square, which resemble a three-prong fork, appear to be the Chinese character shan meaning "mountain". What is intriguing is that the symbol at the top right corner of the square is different. It has two of these three-prong forks, one on top of the other. Everything else on the coin is symmetrical except for this one symbol. This symbol may possibly be the Chinese character chu which can variously translate as "to go out", "to produce", "to issue", etc. As I stated in the other thread, I have no familiarity with these kinds of coins. My guess, and it is only a guess, is that both these coins are modern reproductions of very rare Qing Dynasty silver coins that were produced in very limited quantities and that "real" coins would be worth a great deal of money. Thanks again for the message and I hope you find the above information helpful. Gary
Thank you very very much for your help. I'm sure it is a modern reproductions, it don't look like an old coin, and I find it in a small city of Romania. Thanks again, I own you
The country immediately north of Bulgaria, China's primary competitor for the title "Counterfeit Coin Capital of the World".
I've got one too! I have an identical coin I've been trying to identify for some time. Mine is 45mm in diameter, weighs 24.5 gm and is not magnetic. Coin also has reeded (coin) edge which leads me to believe it is (supposed to be) silver. Got my coin in a box of stuff from the local (Savannah, Georgia) flea market. Box also had a junk dollar and miscellaneous smaller foreign coins. Never confident that the junk dollar was genuine so I sold it as a probable counterfit. Any further info on this item appreciated.
