VIETNAM, Cash coin, 1453-59

[Prosit]

The subject contains all I know about this coin.  Anyone know more?

I don't even know which way is up on it 

Dale

[translateltd]

Current photo is upside down :-)

[andyg]

Well, I'm impressed Martin I have to admit,
I turned it around for you

[Prosit]

ok I fliped it. 
What do the symbols mean?

Dale

[translateltd]

Pleased you also rotated the reverse!  The characters on the obverse follow the usual pattern - top and bottom are reign titles (I'll look them up in a mo), and right and left mean "current coin".  You can match the latter pair against most other Chinese/Japanese/Korean/Vietnamese cash coins as a way of working out which way is up - that's how I started getting to grips with them originally!

[Prosit]

After a little research looks like Dien Ninh Thong Bao minted from 1454-1458 by the 4th king of the Le dynasty.

Evidently quite common.

Dale

[Afrasi]

That sounds ok. I read Yen Ning in Chinese (old transscription), which refers to the Vietnamese pronounciation you did found.

[translateltd]

And "En Nei" in Japanese, which is also a derivative of the original Chinese readings.