Chinese Cash Coin, Maybe (Id: Yuan Feng Song Dynasty 11th Century)

Looks legit, although the picture is upside down. I'll see if I can find it in my book. Cash coins can normally only be identified to the reign of a particular emperor, and were not dated.

Edit: It looks like a coin of the Emperor who reigned between 1086-1093. The inscription reads Yuan You Tong Bao (Song Dynasty).

Looks like Hartill 16.276, claw feet Bao

What dynasty was yuan feng?

Ok the inscription fits. Looked it up on the coin list of Wikipedia. All I got to find cash coins, just really hard to find on there without a name to match. Thanks a bunch!

Zeno.ru is the best online database of Asian and Islamic coins. It's very tricky to navigate if you don't actually know what you've got, but for finding other examples of similar coins, it can't be beat.

Here's the entry for Yuan Feng coins.

Hartill's green book is the first go-to book.
It explains much and will tell you what emperor & dynasty you have.
Then the larger book, which is red in color, will tell you what particular catalog number it is among many that look alike.

Edited so that a wrongfully placed automatic link does not replace the simple words I typed. If I describe Hartill's Red Book, suddenly a link appears in the text for a book about U.S. coinage instead of Chinese Cash.

Here's an example of Chinese coins offered from one of my sources.
You see they are listed by Schjoth & Hartill numbers.
So if you want a specific coin, then you need the books up front to see what it is.
If you just buy coins and wonder what they are, you can always buy the coins upfront and then sort them out using the books later.
Example of list:
CHINA (Schjoth & Hartill numbers; note, H often lists small varieties of the same type.
S-353 H14.114 G-VG 2.45
S-382 H14.69 Jing mint G-VG 2.60
S-390 H14.83 Tan Mint rare VG 3.75
S-398 H14.87 Xing mint G-VG 1.95
Northern Song Dynasty 960-1127 AD:
S-463 H16.25 F 1.95*
S-464 H16.28 F-VF 2.25
S-464A H16.32 AF 1.75*
S-465 H16.35 VG 1.35*; F 1.95*
S-467 H16.37 AF 1.75*; F-VF 2.25*
S-468 H16.41 F 2.20*
S-538 H16.193 VG 2.40*; F 3.45*
S-542 H16.200 G-VG 2.20; F 3.50
This is just a list having no pictures.
They generally cost less and often may not be the best condition.
Here's an example of a seller that adds photos, the coins are a bit better condition, but they cost more.
Once you get the hang of where to go and what to look for, you'll find many Chinese Cash to build a collection.
More sellers online do have very well identified coins with pictures and you can browse their stock to find what interests you. Good Hunting! and enjoy these old & interesting coins.