hey, i found this old coin while opening a box w/ other i found in it. This coin is eaither japanese or chinese becasue of the writing on it. Its gold in color, and has a Square in the center. I do not have a picture right now, and i know its crucial i will get one on here tommorow. The front pictures a design, and on the back is chinese/japanese writing. I think it may be just a token type thing, but im not sure. Just wanna know wat it is..
Hi PPix3, and welcome to the forum. What you are describing is known as a "cash" coin, and besides China and Japan, where they were produced for over 1,000 years, they were also cast in Korea and Annam, which was roughly the same place as modern Vietnam. Chances are it's Imperial Chinese from the mid-19th to early-20th centuries, because those are the most common, but until we see pictures of both sides it can't be identified more specifically. The square hole is a characteristic of this type of coin made necessary by its method of production. For centuries coins were sand cast in "trees", joined by small bars where the molten metal flowed from molding to molding. The coins were then broken off and put onto square wooden sticks, so that they wouldn't rotate while the nubs were ground or filed off.
