I've come across 5 coins that appear to be Asian, from what I can tell of the writing/symbols on them, and seems to have pictures of people in different sexual positions on the back(or front?) They're all the same, except one of them is missing the back(or front). I have no idea what these coins are, where they're from, how old they are, etc. If anybody can help, it'd be much appreciated. :smile I have pictures: This next one is strange, it has the side with the letters/symbols, but it's as though someone took the other side off and just left the hollowed out inside of it.
It's a Chinese "marriage charm" which I discuss in detail at "Chinese Marriage Charms". These were used to educate newlyweds, and the bride in particular, on what needed to be done on their wedding night to fulfill their obligation to family and Confucian society to have sons. The Chinese characters are read in the following order: top, bottom, right, left. The inscription reads ming huang yu ying and translates as "Emperor Ming imperial shadow". This is a reference to Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and his beautiful concubine Yang Guifei. An old charm with this inscription can be seen here. Your charms, unfortunately, are not old but rather modern reproductions. Gary
The last one is half of a a "magician's coin". There is another coin that has been milled down to fit in the pocket and create a two-headed coin variation.
Thank you all for your help. It's interesting knowing what these coins mean, though I admit I was kind of hoping for something a bit more grandiose. Oh well, not a big deal. I might have another coin to be identified if I can find it...I'm not really sure where it is at the moment.
I have a similar wedding charm/coin that i dug out of my yard in Memphis, TN. I am sure it couldn't be anything bery old or rate, but i am curious as to who made reproductions and why, and how it may have ended up in my yard from long ago. Any thoughts or insight?
