Can anybody identify this Chinese Coin? Round Coin/Square Hole.

I came across this coin and am not sure of the year/dynasty/origin of the coin. Can anybody help identify this coin? Thank you.

 

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The inscription on both sides reads yong le tong bao (永樂通寶).

This was the inscription used on coins cast during the reign (1402-1424) of the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

However, your specimen does not appear to be a coin. No yong le tong bao coins were cast with two obverse sides. Also, the calligraphy on your piece is slightly different from that used on the coins. Additionally, the calligraphy on the obverse and reverse sides of your piece is not the same which means different seed coins would have had to have been used to make the impressions. Moreover, the color of the metal does not appear correct. Finally, you do not give the size/weight but your piece appears to be larger than the cash coins issued during that period.

Your piece is more likely a "medal" or, perhaps, a "charm" since the Chinese characters yong le (永樂) translate as "forever happy".

It would be difficult to determine the actual age of your piece but it is not necessarily "old".

Incidentally, the yong le tong bao coin has a very interesting history. Please see my article entitled "Admiral Zheng He and the Yongle Tongbao Coin".

Gary

 

Wow...thanks for the expert analysis. So many experts of so many diverse things is what makes CoinTalk so great. Thank you. I will check out the link.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

 

Any ideas on this coin ?

 

Yes manymore is correct. This is a modern Chinese production based on Yongle Tongbao coins. Best called an amulet or medallion.

 

Do you have another coin with ID needed?

 

How much are they worth