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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,981 |
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
Good afternoon, this coin was part of a collection put together during WWII. I am certain it is not a modern fake, and at the very least predates 1944. It's similar to Hartill 20.229, but with yi moved to 12:00 replacing shi. It is 47mm and weighs 32.8 grams. Rare Ming issue? Contemporary counterfeit? Foreign issue? Thank you for your thoughts!   |
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
188561 Posts |
 to the Community! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
634 Posts |
For whatever it's worth, found this coin in Zeno which is similar in weight and diameter, and matches on the obverse but not the reverse. https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=259377It's described as Ming dynasty Tian Qi tong bao, one liang, AD 1621-1627 |
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Valued Member
Hong Kong
176 Posts |
I googled a bit in Chinese and I also can't find this Tianqi variant. Maybe it's a replica made as a luck token, or a unrecorded variant. Perhaps checking its metal composition in comparison to other Tianqi Tongbao could help?
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New Member
 United States
4 Posts |
Thank you, I've tried every resource online but have been at a loss. I don't think it's a replica, given the quality and provenance. I also don't think it's a charm, since it shares the same value, diameter, and weight as the typical series. The typical series only had an issuance in the 10's of thousands, so it might be a variation in an already rare series.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1915 Posts |
I wonder if the reverse was made in error with missing or incorrectly placed lines from an improper casting?
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New Member
United States
7 Posts |
It is a common Ming Dynasty "Tian Qi Shi Yi Liang" 10-cash coin. Based on the size, weight, toning, calligraphy style, and the cast style, I believe it is an authentic one, but someone engraved and removed the vertical stroke of "#21313;" to make it as "#19968;", from "ten" to "one" on the reverse side.  |
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Valued Member
United States
59 Posts |
The original coin "Shi Yi Liang" is genuine, however someone carved the strokes from the "Shi" or "10" to make it to look like "Yi" or "one" to create a fake one of a kind coin. Pity, because the original coin would be worth 500 usd, but the forger destroyed this coin's value by carving out the characters and try to make it something it isn't. So sad...
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Valued Member
United States
59 Posts |
to add that, there is a "Yi" or "one" on top of the right character "liang" that was intentionally carved out also, so a very sad case of forgers taking something nice and genuine and destroying by trying to pass it as something super rare in order to sell for big $$$.
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
Thank you everyone for your replies. I can see more clearly where it appears that metal was removed on my example. It is strange to think that people were altering coins like this as early as WWII. Thank you for confirming it as an authentic, although altered piece!
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Valued Member
United States
59 Posts |
People have been forging coins in China since antiquity. Altered coins are pretty worthless though. I saw this same coin on ebay a while ago and some one obviously paid a lot for it. |
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,981 |
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Posted 10/05/2022 09:14 am
