Cash coins

[redwine]

As promised many moons ago......
Your help greatly appreciated.
Two similar pieces.
23mm
3.96 & 4.1g
Many thanks

[Figleaf]

Emperor Kao Tsung, era Chien Lung (1736-1795), mint Chili. The coins look like modern tourist souvenirs to me: differences in the mint character and strokes just a tad too bold and sharp. Did you do a ping test? The coins should be cast.

Peter

[redwine]

Just tried, most ended up on the floor    And it didn't tell me a great deal!
Have now just popped them on the end of a pencil and whacked them - no news!
I think you're right they are copies.

[bgriff99]

These are genuine.     

[redwine]

Can you be more specific please?
Is it the weight?
Many thanks.

[Figleaf]

Is there any significance to the upper stroke of the mint character being in different places and having a different angle, Bruce?

Peter

[bgriff99]

Sorry, I cannot verbally explain how to know they are genuine, versus tourist souvenirs or forgeries for circulation.    It is a matter of familiarity.     

This mint was close enough to Beijing for the central mint to make its patterns, and most likely the mother cash.     The obverses were coordinated with the Beijing sequence of changes to indicate years of issue.    They were however not changed as often.    It usually was 2 to 4 years between changes, or when a new overall type was introduced.

Reverses were also changed along with obverses, in parallel with Beijing.   Paoting began casting in 1747.    Obverses started out following Board of Revenue, then changed to Board of Works, then back again.    It generated no local patterns in this reign.

[redwine]

Sounds good to me!