✅ SOLVED Chinese Coin?

vandaria

vandaria

Full Member
May 11, 2012
153
95
Illinois
Detector(s) used
E-trac,
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hi all! I knew this wasn't a mere washer when I dug it up! Couldn't see the characters but the square hole had me thinking =) Anyway I do not have it cleaned up very well as I am unsure how to go about it? This is what it looks like after playing with a toothpick on it, but I am afraid to use a toothbrush/soap water in case it hides the outlines of the characters. Any ideas?

And then of course the main questions. Any clue when it was made? And is it a coin or just a charm someone had?

Thanks for looking! (ah yes this is the size of a quarter btw)


coin2.jpg coin1.jpg
 

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Its a Chinese cash coin. Rotate it just 1/8 of a turn to the right for proper display.
It says Kuang Hsu T'ung Pao. chinese kuang.jpg

Its a Kwong-shui or Kuang Hsu 1875-1908.

chinese cash 1875-1908.jpgcoin2.jpg

Your second pic shows the mint mark side but I would have to look it up. Ill give someone else a chance.
 

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Okies I was afraid to do that with it. Again thank you for all the info!!
 

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If ya wanna shine it up,put it on your key chain,they were usually made of brass so they shine real nice in no time.I have three or four on mine at any givin time and am always giving them to kids and such
 

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And one day I will learn =( I just washed this with soap and water and an extra soft brush and now w/o the dirt there you can barely see the characters at all. GRRR
 

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LOL!!I always say....DO NOT PUT WATER ON ANY THING TILL YA KNOW HOW THE PATINA IS IN YOUR AREA.It took me ruining my first Large Cent to finally get it through my thick skull.The best is to let it dry then dry brush lightly.At least it was on a "common",cash coin.If you want another PM your adress to me
 

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lol Well thank you for the awesome offer, but I am good with this one =) I still am the one who pulled it out of the ground of a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere with no clue as to why it should be there..anyway it's my first Chinese Coin ever (as in never owned one even prior) and tho one in good condition would be cool..it can't beat that =) =) Thank you again!!
 

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:icon_thumleft: I hear ya,there is nothing like what we dig up,for sure.Its flat amazing where they pop up,they litteraly are all over the US,and the great many date back to the 1600's!On average I dig between 25 and 50 a season and it fascinates me,to see the range in dates.I have dug two that are worth $100 so they arent all worth little
 

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I am surpised that water could ruin a coin. Afterall it gets wet in the ground rain after rain. You could always rub some dirt back on it because I seriously doubt you actually ruined anything. Its just that the dirt probably makes contrast with the characters.
 

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Bigcy.....I promise you my friend,running tap water on anything that has patina like I have here will ruin it.This has been discussed in great length on here and Buckleboy will also attest to what I am stating......If I had the ability at the moment(which I dont)I would show you the Large Cents that are RUINED...came out of the ground with a great green patina and awesome detail,I ran water over them(no brushing)and bam the detail and patina is gone.When the patina flaked off,it took the detail with it.Also have seen this time and time again with stamped brass buckles.Being in moist ground and water running directly on them are two different things
 

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kuger said:
Bigcy.....I promise you my friend,running tap water on anything that has patina like I have here will ruin it.This has been discussed in great length on here and Buckleboy will also attest to what I am stating......If I had the ability at the moment(which I dont)I would show you the Large Cents that are RUINED...came out of the ground with a great green patina and awesome detail,I ran water over them(no brushing)and bam the detail and patina is gone.When the patina flaked off,it took the detail with it.Also have seen this time and time again with stamped brass buckles.Being in moist ground and water running directly on them are two different things
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Most of my finds are near saltwater and I soak everything for days.

I said I wouldnt clean it but what I thought was if you have to, water, soap and soft brush only because it looked like just dirt to me, not patina.. It didnt look like it had anything to flake off. Did something flake off? I understand something flaking off could certainly ruin it. I just didnt feel removing a little dirt would qualify.

However I will no longer give any advice to clean with water unless the salts need to be removed. Thanks kuger..:icon_thumleft:
 

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Bigcy,your advice was not bad....I didnt say anything because not all soil creates the conditions to do what I have explained,also some of these chinese coins are almost like made from pewter and will not take much of anything and will disintegrate.......while others are hearty and can take being on a key chain!Its just a matter of what soil type in most cases :icon_thumleft:
 

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kuger said:
Bigcy,your advice was not bad....I didnt say anything because not all soil creates the conditions to do what I have explained,also some of these chinese coins are almost like made from pewter and will not take much of anything and will disintegrate.......while others are hearty and can take being on a key chain!Its just a matter of what soil type in most cases :icon_thumleft:
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I am happy to learn. Thats what Im here for. You guys (BB and you) know more about cleaning that I. I have ruined a lot of stuff. :icon_thumleft:
 

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=) No nothing really flaked off but it is very worn and once the dirt was removed you can't really see anything. The dirt gave it depth ?? perhaps would be the way to describe it. I have had buttons tho where it was absolutely the patina that disappeared and it was pretty much what was holding the letters there.
Now on the otherside the Pig Flipper coin I pulled out today looks beautiful after soap/water treatment, but then again it's not worn like the Chinese coin is.
 

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What is it and how old? WW2?

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