Junk Box Chinese Cash

20 years ago, I was buying cash coins from junk boxes for 20 cents each.
My problem was that I really hadn't a clue if they were genuine or not. Over a period of bout 6 months, I had accumulated about 200 of them.
I thought: for 20 cents each, it doesn't matter if I bought fake coins; it wouldn't be much of a loss, I had no idea how to identify them, anyway.

I was able to obtain a copy of Schjoth, and talk them over with a few who were also intested in cash coins.

As it turns out, they were almost all genuine. Cash coins were made in truely huge quantities. Those 200 coins formed the basis of my cash coin collection, which covers almost all dynasties, and most of the reign titles and emperors.

It is still somewhat of a minor effort for me to fully attribute any addition to my cash collection, using Schjoth, but at least, it is fun.
Iron, lead and zinc cash are quite scarce, but I have an example in each of these metals.

This one is quite worn, and perhaps is worth a dollar or so.

@sel

What a story! I wish I could be that fortunate stateside.

Please see this article.

Gary

I told you so, that Chinese cash coins were made in truely huge quantities! Where else is it possible to obtain a thousand year old coin for only a dollar or so?

That is why I became attracted to Chinese cash coins.

That is also why, when I initially knew so very little about them 20 years ago, that I could be reasonably confident that what I was buying could well have been all genuine.

Go out and find a copy of Schjoth or similar if you can. THAT is the real key in learning about Chinese cash coins, and how to identify them.

Lotsa cheap thrills!

If wish to take it a step further, you will also learn a lot about Chinese history and culture, over the last 2,500 years. Very rewarding.