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Ancient Chinese Spade Money Real Or Fake?

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Author Previous TopicReplies: 9 / Views: 2,357Next Topic  
New Member

United States
3 Posts
 Posted 06/20/2021  2:50 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add bkaplow to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
Hi I recently purchased some spade money claimed to be from spring and autumn period. I was wondering if you knew if it was real or a fake coin. I attach some images:
Ancient-Chinese-Spade-Money-Real-Or-Fake?
Ancient-Chinese-Spade-Money-Real-Or-Fake?

Please let me know either way. Thanks so much!
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John1's Avatar
United States
56855 Posts
 Posted 06/20/2021  2:57 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add John1 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts
 Posted 06/20/2021  5:22 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Kushanshah to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I would call it a fantasy or charm rather than a fake. Unfortunately, it bears only the vaguest resemblance to genuine spades.
Edited by Kushanshah
06/20/2021 5:26 pm
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aiglet7's Avatar
Canada
695 Posts
 Posted 06/20/2021  7:11 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add aiglet7 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
It would appear that this is not a genuine Spade. A good example can be seen at this link:-

https://www.calgarycoin.com/referen...a/china1.htm

Scroll down (quite a way) to "SHAN YANG" and compare weight and size. I believe that what you may have is a Chinese Charm.
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United States
3 Posts
 Posted 06/20/2021  7:14 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add bkaplow to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
@Kushanshah Interesting, what makes you say that? I know there are square footed spades, but there are also round footed spades. "Round-footed spades
These rare coins are noted for their round handles, shoulders, and feet. They were minted in two sizes, with denominations of one jin and a half jin. On the reverses of the coins, various numerals were inscribed. These coins were used in five cities in present-day Shanxi. Some state that these coins were probably used by the states of Qin and Zhao during the early Warring States period, while others note that the coins could be from the state of Zhongshan during the 4th century BC." To be clear, given the preponderance of frauds I suspect that this is either a fraud or as you say a charm. But I would like confirmation as to why it is indeed a fraud if it is one, or a charm otherwise. I attach a photo that is associated with 'spade money's or 'bu money's from Wikimedia (which to be clear could equally be a photo of frauds/not but money)
Ancient-Chinese-Spade-Money-Real-Or-Fake?
Edited by bkaplow
06/20/2021 7:35 pm
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United States
1554 Posts
 Posted 06/20/2021  10:23 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Kushanshah to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
My first reaction when looking at your post was that the form and fabric are wrong. I went carefully through Harthill and found nothing similar. I also poked around zeno.ru and found nothing similar.

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Sap's Avatar
Australia
16816 Posts
 Posted 06/20/2021  11:13 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Sap to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
For the top picture, this particular type of spade is a rather rare and enigmatic issue. Known as the "Shan Yang spade", they appear to originate from a place named "Shan Yang", though exactly where this city was is now unknown; judging from the archaeological finds they appear to originate from Han State or Liang State.

Example on Numisbids.

They only have writing on one side. If your coin has writing on both sides, then yours is definitely a replica. The writing on the second picture (other side?) is of a slightly more common "Liang Zheng Bi Bai Dang Lie" spade from Liang State.

Example on Stephen Album auction site.
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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ryurazu's Avatar
Australia
1333 Posts
 Posted 06/20/2021  11:24 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add ryurazu to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
you'll need to find a expert that collects Chinese coins first or more even more specialised in spade money very few in the world. As this is very hard to determine whether it's genuine even for long time collectors, note that I'm not saying real/not real as I have no idea. What I do know is that there are fakes and that some types will have varieties.
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United States
3 Posts
 Posted 06/21/2021  05:19 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add bkaplow to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
@sap, yes the writing is on both sides, so I guess it is indeed a replication.
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