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 Replies: 17 / Views: 1,934 |
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Moderator
 United States
34450 Posts |
@cso, first welcome to CCF. Second, thx for providing so much information about this coin up front. I think that a good next step would be a non-destructive determination of the alloy. XRF is a good option, but you could also perform a specific gravity measurement.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Moderator
United States
190135 Posts |
 to the Community! |
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Moderator
Australia
16874 Posts |
Hong Kong in the 1970s was rife with Chinese-made fake Chinese coins. I'd be skeptical. It certainly would not have come from an actual bank of the time period. Chinese dollars have never been legal tender in Hong Kong, certainly not 60 year old silver dollars. The coin claims to be a dollar from Year 3 of the Xuantong emperor, or AD 1911. Heres the type on Numista. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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New Member
 Hungary
5 Posts |
@Sap Thanks! Sorry if I wasn't clear about this. I didn't mean that the bank gave it as legal tender in the 1970s, but rather that it was purchased for investment purposes from a bank — or possibly a coin dealer — but definitely not from a street antiques market.
Edited by csoja
08/05/2025 09:56 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1915 Posts |
I have my doubts about being authentic.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
I'm leaning towards genuine at the moment.
My partial coin collection http://www.omnicoin.com/collection/gxseriesMy numismatics articles and collection: http://www.gxseries.com/numis/numis_index.htmRegularly updated at least once a month. |
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Moderator
United States
98847 Posts |
I'm leaning towards a fake at the moment. (I had to rotate your reverse image so I can better compare your pic with the one in Numista - link provided by Sap) specific locations I see that don't match up is the luster of the coin - it just does not look like it is silver (but that could just be the image or photography) But, the Dragon's 'hair' spikes, eyes, and the mouth don't seem correct. The Dragon's belly scales appear slightly different Left of the head, just below the jaw on the right side, and just above the word 'Dollar at the bottom. Her is the image the OP posted rotated for correct orientation.  |
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New Member
Hungary
5 Posts |
Thank you very much for your feedback. I measured the specific gravity at home—which is obviously not precise, but it still gives a rough indication. It came out to 10.2 g/cm³, which points more toward silver. I also did a ring test, and the result was encouraging as well. I've acquired several coins this way, and based on the source, I would be very surprised if they turned out not to be made of silver. Authenticity, of course, is a completely different matter. That's why I'm planning to take them to an expert next week—I'm really curious to hear what a specialist says when they can actually examine the coins in person, rather than judging based on medium-quality photos. So thanks again!
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
1775 Posts |
@csoja - -: Please post a follow-up of your research when completed.. .  Edited by Sharks
08/06/2025 2:58 pm
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Moderator
United States
98847 Posts |
wow, I'm sorry, got stuck on the coin and forgot to say to CCF. and will wait for an in hand examination and your update.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1915 Posts |
In general, spines, scales and the dragon mouth do have variations and some are noted in Kann.
I still lean towards not genuine based on the images.
SG (if really 10.2) doesn't fit with other coins that I have that look the same.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1962 Posts |
Looks to be a typical old cleaning VF chopped specimen of a slightly scarcer but not hugely rare type. Learning to decipher fuzzy pics is a key skill... If it was a European coin, no one would question it. 1911 Tientsin dollar https://archive.stacksbowers.com/?q...ed9c146adbfdQuote:
It certainly would not have come from an actual bank of the time period. Chinese dollars have never been legal tender in Hong Kong, certainly not 60 year old silver dollars. Stranger things have happened in the history of the world... It was free Hong Kong, big hunk of silver - some bank or other would exchange you current money for it, though possibly off the books. How many times do you read stories of old banks, merchants, etc. (speaking of here in the States - I know Sap you're Aussie) having accumulated various Canadian and other foreign pieces over the years? |
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New Member
Hungary
5 Posts |
In the end, the coin was examined by experts at two numismatic dealers. Both confirmed that it is genuine, but in rather poor condition.
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Moderator
United States
190135 Posts |
Quote:
In the end, the coin was examined by experts at two numismatic dealers. Both confirmed that it is genuine, but in rather poor condition. Thank you for the update. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1915 Posts |
It's lucky to have two experts on these coins. For me, I know of no authorities on this coinage anywhere I live. I enhanced the pictures. The coins look too much like many of mine that are thought to be fakes. I'd like to mail mine to the same shops for opinions.   Edited by Albert
10/20/2025 5:33 pm
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Posted 08/05/2025 08:26 am
