I have just received a Yuan Feng Tong Bao 1 cash coin from a usually reliable source. The closest match I can find is Hartill 16.233, but the Bao looks a bit different, and the top stroke of the Yuan is definitely unusual. Diameter is 23.8mm and weight 2.8g. Is this Northern Song or perhaps a Vietnamese copy? What do you experts think?
I don't know anything about Japanese coins but my guess is that it is a "small character" version Nagasaki coin similar to the one illustrated at this website: http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/roberts/coins/Nagasakiexport.html Gary
You could very well be right. Very interesting. as I only paid A$1.60 for this and another coin, I don't feel cheated! Thanks for the info. Richard
Either the absence of any characters or a single character at the top denoting that it was cast in Tokyo. Chinese, Korean and Annamese coins virtually all have more than one character on the reverse.
The vast majority of Northern Song coins and many of those from other Chinese dynasties have reverses with NO characters.
I have been informed by Luke Roberts that the coin is a Nagasaki Export coin of the "fat character" type. It is a common variety worth a couple of dollars. Here is a link to Luke's excellent page: http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/roberts/coins/Nagasakiexport.html