Kang-xi, contemporary circulation forgery of Hunan

[bgriff99]

The coin type copied is from early in the reign.   Diameter at 26mm is almost full.   Weight at 3.32g is 64% of regulation.  Although this mint may have made some underweight issues itself.  Later in the reign, a series at much smaller size and weight was made, smaller than this counterfeit.   

[Figleaf]

If weight and diameter are more or less correct, how do you recognise this contemporary counterfeit?

Peter

[bgriff99]

The carving of the pattern is far from being right, for any official one.  The obverse copies Board of Revenue.  Every pattern used is known, recorded, and I have most.  It does often turn up that a piece cannot be told for certain if it is official or forgery for circulation. That said, this one is not recorded in the usual places, so can be inferred as somewhat scarce.  It has nice eye appeal, being clean, close to full broadness for the early types, but clearly not official.   The early 'nan' run is itself scarce.  There are not many forgeries.