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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;satootoko, post: 72880, member: 669&quot;]Hi Lynne and welcome to the forum.</p><p><br /></p><p>What you have are Chinese cash coins.&nbsp; This type of coin, usually brass but often copper/bronze and even iron, has been cast in the Far East for more than 1,000 years.</p><p><br /></p><p>The square hole is a utilitarian feature.&nbsp; The coins are cast in a &quot;tree&quot; mold, with a large number of individual sand molds connected by channels to allow the molten metal to spread.&nbsp; After they are cast and have cooled off, they are broken from the tree and placed on a square stick to hold then while the stubs are ground off.</p><p><br /></p><p>The hole serves another purpose as well.&nbsp; The value of a single coin was quite minimal, and large numbers could be strung together in a sort of necklace for transportation. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie2" alt=";)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>Originating in China, they circulated throughout East and Southeast Asia; and many were also cast in Japan, Korea, and Annam (approximately present-day Vietnam).&nbsp; Your photos are not clear enough to specifically identify any of them, but the information your friend gave you is generally correct. <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>In addition to the ruler&#039;s name or designation, the coins frequently have characters indicating where they were cast, and the specific governmental organization that authorized them; but generally they have no denomination or date on them.&nbsp; You appear to have examples of each of the two most common sizes.</p><p><br /></p><p>Try searching this forum for &quot;cash coin&quot; and I&#039;m sure you&#039;ll find a number of interesting posts about them.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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