Hi, Could anybody help me with this coin? Obverse Reverse A friend bring me this coin from China last week. He told me, that her translator told him that it is more than 200 years old. I've been looking for info in internet, but I've just found a list with all the dinastiy's simbols. And it seems that this coin was made during the Ming Dinasty. I'm not sure about this, because I'm not expert on such coins, and for this reason I need some help to know what really it is. And what it worth. Or some address or book. Thanks Regards Alberto
Alberto,this is one of those pieces created as a good luck item.It was not issued as a circulation coin.Like you,my knowledge of Imperial Chinese coins is very limited,I'm afraid.
I looked in my chinese cash identification and price guide. There is nothing like this for the ming dynasty. Although the chinese charater is saying "ming dynasty", but all the cash coin during that era used the emperor's name on the coin. The one you have there probably is a comptemporary coin made to amuse foreign tourist.
Ok, Thanks. Bad Luck, I should say. I will keep it in my collection to remmember that I should take care with chinnese coins until I get a good book. Sarawakian, which is the name of your book, and where can I find it? Thanks Regards Alberto
Hello Alberto, The book is call "Chinese Cash Identification and Price Guide" By David Jen. it features nearly 2000 coins with illustration. I got mine from Ebay, from time to time I see various seller put it on, so check often, you can get it from ebay. Becareful with chinese coins, as there are alot of fake out there.
Apa Khabar Dalam Kota Kucing (what's New in the city of Kucing ? as for the picture of the posted coin in the thread I am sure that many chinese coins are fakes as you wrote , from experience and that is the reason that I am very careful about buying chinese coins. There are chinese scripted coins from the 19th century from Malaysia too and from medieval Indonesia , The "key coin" I saw it once, probably a fake... (I think I could wtite all message in Malay , but The forum language is English.)
What you have is considered a "charm" just like Aidan said. Some charms or fantasy coins were even made on real cash coins. Start here then you are on your own LOL!!! http://www.charm.ru/
Fake it may be but it deffinetely is not a cash coin based on the reverse. Charms were not made to be used as money so it isnt a fake per say.
There is such a coin with the legend 'Da Ming Tong Bao', issued under the Ming Rebels (1644 - 1678 )... but the piece u have here is a charm.
Sterling,I like your description of your location 3° 7' N 101° 42' E = Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia? I borrowed the idea,thanks!
I have a few coins (or token/trinket/charm etc..) that all look very simmilar to the one you posted... I wondered what they were and what they were worth... I bought one of those Grab Bags of foreign coins offa E-bay for my daugher and myself to go through... If I remember right, it was like 1 LBS of Coins for 9.99 + 2.00 shipping.... They showed a few barrels and said they had a few hundred LBS of foreign coins and you could buy as many LBS as you wanted... It ended up being like 109 coins, no duplicates... I was curious about the value of several of the coins, but not enough to buy a book... Just thought they would be fun to look though for a bit...
