The coin on the left has been in my collection for awhile. I have it ID'd, most likely by someone on this site. The coin on the right I just got a few weeks ago. It seems identical but the metal looks very different. Coin on the left looks like the standard Chinese copper, while the one on the right is kind of yellow, like aluminum bronze looks. Are these coins different, or is there another explanation?
Also, this coin looks similar but is smaller. I'm guessing the denomination is 20. Can anyone tell me if the rest of the ID is the same? Sichuan province? Year?
The Standard Catalog lists the coin in both copper and brass so that could explain the color difference with the 50 at 36mm and the 20 at 32mm. Hope this helps.
Yes, both type exist. This was struck in an era where cost cutting / profiteering is of high priority. Or rather it has always been the case. Both types are genuine