Is the patina and condition correct for the age and type of coin? This is key to everything.Pressed coins tend to be much thinner than cast coins and the fakes can be so thin that you can easily bend or snap them in half. Has the coin been pressed or cast? Almost all genuine cash coins were cast in sand molds and only a few fairly modern types were pressed or stamped into sheet metal.These coins are often sold openly as replicas for i-ching or feng shui and there is nothing wrong with this trade but when it becomes a problem is when unscrupulous sellers deliberately try to pass them off as genuine antiques. In China old coins are often given as gifts to convey good luck or prosperity and copies of old coins are made to serve this market and for the tourist industry. One of the biggest problems for the collector is spotting fake or “replica” coins. They are usually about 25mm in diameter (with a degree of variability) but other, larger denominations were made to account for inflation. The coin is usually inscribed with 4 Chinese characters, which can be read either clockwise or top, bottom, right, left. The basic unit of currency for over 1000 years was the “1 cash” coin – round with a square hole in the middle and made from bronze, copper or iron – see right. Couple that with the vast time period over which they were used and this gives the collector a chance to learn about the development of Chinese culture as well. A Zhi Dao yuan bao coin of the Northern Song dynasty, dating 995-997ADĬollecting ancient Chinese cash coins is a fun hobby because there have been thousands of different designs throughout the ages and many have multiple variation in their design.
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