Help with Chinese cash possibly Yuan Tong (T'ung)

[hantstoken]

Hi, I'm trying to identify a cash coin, 22.5mm and 2g.
The top character in Yuan, and the bottom character I believe Tong (or T'ung) which I believe puts it to the Yuan Dynasty, but I have not been able to tie it down.
Any pointers will be much appreciated as the coin is driving me mad.
Thanks

[Manzikert]

Northern Sung, Shen Song, Yuan Feng Tong Bao (1078-1085)

Alan

[Figleaf]

Well done for getting the characters right! The character tong is usually on the right, but on this coin, the characters are arranged clockwise, rather than in a cross.



An additional point of interest is that it was issued in three different scripts and two metals (or probably rather alloys). The colour of your coin seems to indicate iron, in which case it should be magnetic (not weakly magnetic).

Peter

[hantstoken]

Alan/Peter, thank you both very much for the identification.

[pingu]

Hello,

I don't know which book the pictures (No. 68 - 70) come from, but they're not all Chinese!

The coin is not from China. Easy to recognize by the character on the right side. The character "Feng" has in the chinese above 3 strokes side by side (like hair on the head). As an example:Yuan Feng Tong Bao. The coin above has a small casting defect on the character, which allows it to be confused.

The coin shown is from Japan.: Genho-Tsuho (Nagasaki Trade Money) 1659. 2 strokes on Top of right "Ho" (feng=chinese)!
As an example: Genho Tsuho
If you look at the sign Ho on the left side, often it is round at the Chinese coins on the body, square at the Japanese ones.Just like the coin shown.

pingu

[Figleaf]

Hello Pingu, glad to see you return to WoC. As you have probably seen, we have a separate board for cash coins. There are some interesting threads on that board. Happy reading!

In your absence, cash coins kept coming in, but it was difficult to get an expert's reaction on them. In the end, I took it upon myself. I do not pretend to be an expert, but I do confess on cutting corners an expert would not have cut, like using Remmelts, rather than Hartill. I am quite aware that there are imitations of cash coins coming out of Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia etc, but they cost me far too much time, so I must ignore them.

Now that you are back, let's solve all these issues in one blow. I suggest that you go through the other cash coins since 2015 and see if there are other corrections to make. Once you have cleaned that up (a fast count says there are about 120 threads to check), I am sure your comments and corrections will have turned it into a lively board. Others experts will hopefully chime in and that will attract more posts and discussions. Everybody wins.

Peter

[pingu]

Hello Peter,

although very irregular, but I have always read the last years in this forum (2-3x a year - sorry but there is so much to do...). As far i think, all I saw everything was right.
My main area is Japan, China is attached to me, since almost everything of chinese 1 Käsch value in Japan was in cirkulation. But so I am interested in all the cast coins that were in circulation in the area.
As an expert, I see myself not only as historically interesting (rather as a "crazy" specialist    - how many people collect Japanese coins, have never seen the country and are 9000km away?). An exciting area of numismatics and there is so much to learn and discover Day by Day... .

Greetings pingu

[Figleaf]

There's no law or rule with a maximum or minimum amount of time here. There is a rule of thumb: come because you want to, never because you feel you have to.

I saw you go through recent stuff and pick up an error. Much appreciated. I know our site is much consulted and quoted, also by shadowy "dealers", so it's even more important to get it right. On the other side of the equation are mails and messages from members who say WoC has been therapeutic for them or how they enjoy doing something for coin collecting in return for all the joy it gave them. Others yet develop themselves at lightning speed into areas they hadn't considered before. Every day, we are creating something useful as well as beautiful here. It doesn't matter why you participate, as long as you participate with pleasure.

Peter