Hi! this is a genuine coin. 1 cash coin minted in Kwangtung from 1890 til 1908. it looks thin and "modern" because it is just that. The minting process for cash coins was upgraded around the turn of the century from casting crudely made pieces to machine made coins struck on coin presses. These newer "milled" coins were struck by the billions and many of them ended up in the US for use in vintage jewelery and clothing articles. Copies of this and other Chinese cash coins are still made by private firms for consumer use in a variety of applications like souvenir pieces, crafts, clothing accesories, etc. These modern copies are easily distinguished from the genuine older pieces. HH, Mike.