China, Yung-lo (1403-1424). Remmelts 168

[bart]

And the sixth and last coin is attributed to Vinh Huu (1735-1740).
Size is 23 mm.

Bart

[translateltd]

This one will need more research to determine its authenticity and link to Vietnam.  It's a very famous coin, mainly because of the characters, which are considered beautiful/auspicious.  In China it's Yongle (or Yonglo) Tongbao, 1403-1424, and in Japan (where it was widely copied) Eiraku Tsuho.  Apparently no original coins were made during the reign period in question but a subsequent Emperor wanted some made retrospectively to fill a gap in his collection, and they became so popular that they were copied everywhere, so Vietnam isn't out of the question.  I don't know if "Vinh Huu" is the Vietnamese reading of these characters - it sounds a bit remote to me, but could be possible at a pinch.

I have examples bought in Japan over 20 years ago, some supposedly Chinese and others Japanese, and one apparently from Java ...

Martin
NZ

And the sixth and last coin is attributed to Vinh Huu (1735-1740).
Size is 23 mm.

Bart

[nguyen anh tu]

VĨNH LẠC THONG BAO !

[Figleaf]

Is VĨNH LẠC the name of an emperor?

Peter

[translateltd]

Is VĨNH LẠC the name of an emperor?

Peter

VĨNH LẠC is the Vietnamese reading of the top and bottom characters (EI-RAKU in Japanese and YONG-LO in Chinese).  I believe it was the reign title used on the "original restrikes" (see my posting of 8/3/08 above) covering the period 1403-1424.

[Figleaf]

Here is the drawing in Remmelts. The original is ascribed to emperor Ch'eng Tsu: yung-lo t'ung pao. I have no way of telling if this is an original or not, but I find it significant that this is one of the lowest priced coins in Remmelts. Maybe originals and imitations can no longer be told apart?

Peter

[Figleaf]

And here is my copy. For lack of detailed knowledge, I'll consider it Chinese. It came with some other Chinese coins.

Peter

[bgriff99]

Bart, your coin appears to be a Chinese original, or direct copy.   Japanese specimens usually show slight magnetism.   They were made during the Chinese reign as inscribed in great quantity for export as well as domestic use.    It is just those widely exported cash that were often copied, as these were in Vietnam and Indonesia also.    The originals exhibit only miniscule variations.   They were the predominant cash coin in Japan for some 100 years.

There are several Vietnamese reign titles with this same top character, but none with both the same.  "Vinh huu" 1735-40 is a different bottom character.   No coins were issued with that inscription officially, nor to my knowledge, privately.   "Vinh lac" is the Vietnamese pronunciation of the Yung le characters.   Numismatically that usually refers to pieces in zinc made with that inscription by the Nguyen lords in S. Vietnam.   Along with nearly a hundred other inscriptions.    There are other Vietnamese copies, some with their own distinct style of calligraphy, some intended to pass as originals.   Much cruder copies made in Java are known as "Shima-sen" (Japanese = island cash). 

Figleaf, if your copy (a beauty) is magnetic, it's Japanese.   All of those have been cataloged, so you can probably track it down.

[Figleaf]

Thank you bgriff. Useful detail. Unfortunately, this coin was stolen, so I can no longer test it for magnetism.

Peter

[bgriff99]

This is a Chinese original of the most common variety.   They were first cast in 1408.   In 1410 four other provinces were ordered to begin casting.   That about corresponds to the number of varieties, so it is presumed no year variations are coded into the calligraphy.    It is not known for certain whether any slightly sub-quality pieces are contemporary forgeries of some kind, or just lower quality provincial issues.   A good deal of metal analysis has been done, so it can be generalized that magnetism indicates a Japanese copy, a few of which are fairly common.

[bgriff99]

This is the Vietnamese zinc "Vinh-lac" coin cast by a private mint under license by the Nguyen lords of the Dang Trong kingdom (Cochin China) in the 1740's.   A great number of reign titles, real and fanciful, were used.   It is thought the various private minters each were assigned patterns for purposes of control.   This coin does not intend to impersonate the originals.   It is somewhat scarce.

[Figleaf]

The illustrations are very helpful. Yet, I wonder if you can give us some particular points to look at. This being a common coin, I presume many of us have a specimen. The magnetism test is easy, but how about the Vietnamese version? Is the Vinh character always shaped a bit differently (or am I seeing things?)

Peter

[bgriff99]

This is a privately made Vietnamese merchant cash.    It belongs to a large group with similar writing style, made of leaded bronze.   They were probably issued in the north (Tonkin), because their metal content conforms to copper mined there, and there are records of such coins being made.    They are found in a range of sizes from 23mm down to about 19.   The largest cash are presumed oldest, and are always the scarcest.  The common ones are about 20-21mm.  This piece is 23.0mm.    Identical ones exist at a variety of sizes down to 20.8mm.  Issue date of this, very roughly 1560, although some sources put it later.

[bgriff99]

Peter,

There are only three types of Yung-lo copy conventionally attributed to Vietnam.    The two posted so far are nothing like the originals, which are very nearly all identical.    The third kind (which I'll post) attempts to look genuine, and so is only recognizable by its minute flaws and being only 23mm (or less) versus an original at 24.5 or so.

The situation with Japanese copies and Indonesian crude copies runs to hundreds of varieties.   The Japanese coins can be made using originals as seed coins directly, or with retooling, or from wholly new mother cash.   But all of them strive to look like the originals, and so defy verbal description without pictures to go along.    Unfortunately I only have two pieces of Chinese originals, which is by no means an adequate reference collection.

I can put up a couple Japanese (probably) ones to show how to spot the retooling even when there is no magnetism.   Those made with completely new mother cash are almost all rare, and also difficult to detect for certain unless the coin is clear, and a reference book is in hand.   I don't have any.

[Figleaf]

I highly appreciate your effort, bgriff. Thanks a lot, also in the name of the many anonymous passers-by.

Peter