Asian coin found on beach?

[jraven]

I found what seems to be some type of Asian coin... It was found on the beach in Ocean City MD... Any ideas?? Thx

 

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[trikikiwi]

Crikey, that's about the fourth Chinese cash coin that has been posted here in a week. What is happening?
Or - What happened??
Is it that all your storms are uncovering a distinct layer of an era?

In New Zealand, those coins would have arrived here, around the 1850's following all our GOLD discoveries. Not that long after the rushes of 49 in Californ i A

Mike

 

[jraven]

Crikey, that's about the fourth Chinese cash coin that has been posted here in a week. What is happening?
Or - What happened??
Is it that all your storms are uncovering a distinct layer of an era?

In New Zealand, those coins would have arrived here, around the 1850's following all our GOLD discoveries. Not that long after the rushes of 49 in Californ i A

Mike

Maybe they flowed over from New Zealand... I heard some lady lost her high school ring on the beach here in Maryland... It was found 10300 miles away in Australia........ Urban legend or true

 

[Montana Jim]

jraven...

It is IMO a fake, copy, or otherwise counterfeit Chinese Cash Coin used to decoration, sample sets, or good-luck charm - zillions are made and sold as souvenirs or for decorations.  I could be wrong and it would be easily determined by an expert seeing it in person!

I base my opinion on the fantastic condition of the coin for being found on a beach, and the complete lack of wear on the obverse charactors and the coin edges which show too little corrosion for a coin that would have been in made between 1821 and 1850 and in circulation.

It represents a Chinese Cash Coin, Tao Kuang Tung Pao, from the Tao Kuang reign (1821 - 1850). 

Chinese Cash Coins are found by all over the United States and were generally carried by Chinese workers as they migrated with the work to the west as good luck charms and for trade amongst themselves I suppose. 

Value if real - $1.00 (ish)



Actual Coins from the same era

 

[jraven]

Thx Jim,

I think it might be one of these.

 

[dakotama95]

Wow it seems like everyone is finding these all of a sudden. Still a nice find. With the mint mark I would lean more towards it being a real chinese cash coin than a souvenir coin.

 

[Montana Jim]

Wow it seems like everyone is finding these all of a sudden.  Still a nice find.  With the mint mark I would lean more towards it being a real chinese cash coin than a souvenir coin.

Not really... they copy the mintmarks too... the problem with Chinese Cash Coins is that they are older than dirt, but so abundant and worthless (with many exceptions) that the common coins are copied like crazy.  It costs more to ship an authentic one than it's worth. 

 

[dakotama95]

Wow it seems like everyone is finding these all of a sudden. Still a nice find. With the mint mark I would lean more towards it being a real chinese cash coin than a souvenir coin.

Not really... they copy the mintmarks too... the problem with Chinese Cash Coins is that they are older than dirt, but so abundant and worthless (with many exceptions) that the common coins are copied like crazy. It costs more to ship an authentic one than it's worth.

thanks for the info. I did not know that they copied them with the mintmarks too.

 

[floodcitykid]

I found what seems to be some type of Asian coin... It was found on the beach in Ocean City MD... Any ideas?? Thx

May not be "period" lot of curios and repos sold to tourists in OC Maryland....are you aware of the area just north of OC Md. In Delaware called "Coin beach" thousands of colonial era coins have been found there from a shipwreck in the 1700's....related to your find? Hmmmmmm?


floodcitykid