China, 1771? Tungchuan mint (Yunnan Province) 'Chin Lung'

[bgriff99]

This coin is considered to have a stylized 'Chin' (meaning gold) used in Lung.   There isn't much else for possibility.   It is scarce, at most a one year variant in the sequence.    No other Yunnan mint, nor any other does this.   One possibility is a mark honoring the emperor's 60th birthday, which occurred in 1771.   Only two Yunnan mints were in operation that year, the other being the large one in Yunnan-fu (Kunming).

Note that here the upper diagonal strokes of Chin are represented by the ones in the upper right radical.  Fou Lung too usually has its diagonal stroke represented by part of those same ones.

This piece came from bulk cash, my only one.   It seems odd that the Board of Revenue should not have marked Chien Lung's 60th birthday.   There is a major style change which I place at 1775, and Hartill at 1774 (NICE concordance from two completely different methodologies), which is not followed at Board of Works, but becomes continuous.    Vaguely but not convincingly like the special Kang Hsi one year issue, which did introduce a new type.