Calling all collectors of East Asian coins!

Okay, first off, I don't know how to not start this post off without sounding awkward. My purpose for this post is to kind of learn some stuff from potential experts (or casual collectors) in this forum who know a thing or two about East Asian cash coins. I'm currently writing a book/doing some research on it, as that's the main thing I collect, so it should be beneficial to me too. I guess I'll just let this post go wherever y'all lead it.

 

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You might want to see if you can start a thread on the world coins forum instead of the general coin chat. (Or ask to have this thread moved.) That gets more activity on Asian coins. I'm more of a casual collector of bronze cash, but they are an interesting and varied field. Is there anything if particular you would want to know about? There are a number of existing threads which go in depth on specific topics which people might be able to point you to if we knew your interests within the field.

 

Glad to know you also share the same interest. For me, my main interests lie in Qing Dynasty cash issues as well as their Taiwan Mint coins and Xianfeng Irons. I also like collecting various "weird" issues from Japan, Korea, and China like the Square Sendai Iron Cash. And also Japanese Kanei Tsuho and short-lived dynasties/kingdoms within China.

The thing is, I'm not really looking in particular to know anything, rather, just spark a conversation on it.

Nice Mingguo Tongbao! Always wondered why they were only casted in Yunnan.

 

I assume you are familiar with the excellent work of Mandel.
I am not certain that is Yunnan piece, btw.

 

Only the ones that write Fujian Tongbao are Fujian. The other few Mingguo Tongbao varieties are from Dongchuan, Yunnan (as per Hartill)

Yes! Unfortunately, I haven't acquired a copy of Mandel's work on Korean cast coins yet though. I heard Hartill published a new work on Korean charms and tokens too.

 

I believe that is a compilation of the work of the BANK of Korea Collection, with updates including the Mandel and Kim In Sik research. IT updates the Mandel Korean amulets research also.

Concerning the Yunnan piece, 12:00 North appears to read Ping in reverse, which made me think it may be counterfeit.

 

I would suggest taking a look at zeno.ru. It is a very useful site for Asian coins of all types.

 

I'll definitely give it a look! Thanks

I believe 12:00 North reads 當 or "be" in Chinese. Bottom character is 十 or ten. This is a 10 cash, thus 當十 dang shi (be ten). It is definitely cast and the calligraphy aligns with genuine specimens so.

 

Yes! I check Zeno.ru every so often...sometimes its sister site (shut down in like 2000), charm.ru has some good info too.

 

My bad....the other 12:00 North.
However, I think you are correct, after viewing the piece on another screen simultaneously depicting an original.

 

Ah I see. Strangely, I'm still looking for a Mingguo Tongbao. They aren't TOO rare but just can't seem to get my hands on a quality specimen for now. Oh well

 

Wishing you a trove of information

 

What @The Eidolon says. And give him a best answer for it. I did

 

I hope so too! Lets hope this thread goes places

 

Great PRC Cash Coin Commems. You know anywhere they still sell them? Might be interested in acquiring one

 

Actually I purchased them in a conveniently located coin shop that was in the lobby of the hotel I was staying at in Guangzhou. This was like 15 years ago though. I got several sets of coins and even paper money.

 

Ah. Good buy anyhow. Interesting that there was a coin shop in the hotel lobby

 

And curiously the prices were close to spot for a lot of stuff. When I was in China a couple of years ago I found coin shops in Beijing and Nanchang, but didn't buy anything because I didn't care for the prices. Numismatics is very popular there - especially gold coins.

My youngest daughter and I share that interest in Chinese coins and paper money - I have collected some of the provincial cash coins since I was a kid. My daughter owns a Ming dynasty Kuan note from the 14th century and quite a few provincial bronze coins even large 100 cash coins.