Zheng-tong Tong-bao, 19th cent. fantasy for a Ming reign with no cash issued

[bgriff99]

Ex Stewart Lockhart, his #1067.  The reign was 1436-49, with no official coins known.  Such fantasies, old and modern, exist for all Ming reigns with no cash issued.   Schjoth #1171 is a different pattern.  Diameter 23.4mm, weight 4.05g.
     

[Figleaf]

Spectacular piece!

I am strongly reminded of Russian novodels, coins re-struck with original dies, usually at the mint they were originally struck, sometimes with dates at which those coins were not struck at all. Their objective was to fill "holes" in the coin collections of rich or influential Russians.

Since in the case of your coin, there were no such coins struck, presumably, there were no seed coins. However, the coin you posted looks quite credible to me, so it might have been made by experienced Chinese minters. Moreover, the novodel business model may have had an influence. Even today, there are important collections of Chinese coins in Russia, so it is not outlandish to think that there was a demand for Chinese novodels from Russia.

Peter