I recently found the two coins shown below. I believe they are both of the same country, denomination, and date, but since I am very week in reading Chinese, I hope someone can confirm my diagnosis. One coin weighs 2.9g and the other 3.0g. Both are 24mm and appear to be brass. I have found similar coins in the world catalog and am wongering if these are the ones I identified. The catalog number is Y#190 listed under the Chinese Empire, Kwangtung Province. The one in the catalog carries no date and was minted from 1890-1908 is a 1 cash coin and is listed as provincial cast coinage. The catalog says they are milled coins, and I'm not sure if that means reeding on the edge. If so, these coins have a smoothe edge. I would appreciate anyone who can read these coins to share with me if I'm right and exactly what they say?
"Milled" means machine struck. All reeded edge coins are milled, but not all milled coins have reeded edges, as that method of production allows for plain, reeded, or otherwise embellished edges. I'm no expert on attribution of cash-style coins, but yours are definitely Chinese as indicated by the Manchu script on the reverse, which identifies them as Ch'ing Dynasty - the last Chinese Imperial Dynasty. Most such coins were cast, but the smooth fields on yours implies that they are, as you thought, milled. We have some members who are real experts on this type of coin and one of them will undoubtedly find your post and answer your questions more completely.
They are both machine struck Chinese cash from the Ching empire. Both were basically "transition" coins, being the old fashioned cash coins that were previously cast, but struck on new coin making machines the Chinese had bought. Btw you second coin is oriented correctly, your first coin is upside down on both sides.
You know, orientation is probably why I have such a hard time identifying Chinese coins. Never really thought about that. LOL.
