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Selections of
Mint Error or Theatrical Cast Products I

Cash that the legend repeated on the reverse or obverse


For the past intermittent collecting years, I have accumulated 3 pieces of the special ancient copper cash. They were popularly known as :

合面錢 "Ho-Mien Chien" copper cash [meaning the cash was made with the obverses of two cash, by which were brought together. Actually the inscriptions originally on the reverse repeated on the other side of the coin.] or

合背錢 "Ho-Pei Chien" copper cash [meaning the cash was made with the reverses of two cash, by which were brought together. Actually the legend repeated on the reverse.]

I don't know they are belonged to mint error or theatrical cast. The cases like these, if fit them into the western minting technique of struck coins. I think these should not be happened. I believe that they are all contemporary made. [During the certain period, private issuing of copper cash were allowed by the government in the ancient China.] If you think they are nowaday fake, please don't hesitate to drop me a line. Thank you in advance.
I don't actively seek out that kinds of coin, as they are very expensive normally, but I do save out any that I notice that happen to fall into my hands.


Marks of Rareness of the Collected Currencies
Extremely Rare A ~ Very Rare B ~ Rare C ~ Not So Many D ~ Common E

Obverse or ReverseObverse or ReverseDescription
No. 307
Diam.
18.5 mm
Wt. 1.5 g.
Mint Evolution & PeculiarityRareness C
This is a 合面 "Ho-Mien" copper cash. I believe this cash was cast in the years of the Hsiao Chien reign (454AD-464AD) of Emperor Hsiao Wu of Sung or Liu Sung Dynasty (420AD-479AD) of the Southern Dynasties (420AD-589AD), both its obverse and reverse side were inscribed with Chinese character Hsiao-Chien in Chuan Shu (seal style). [This kind of seal style is known as 柳葉篆 "Liu-Yeh-Chuan", meaning the seal characters look like the willow leaves.] This cash orginally is a Hsiao Chien Ssu Chu cash. I post below is a common Hsiao Chien Ssu Chu cash of the same period.
Obverse ReverseDescription
No. 308
Diam.
19 mm
Wt. 1.3 g.
Mint Evolution & PeculiarityRareness D
This is a common Hsiao Chien Ssu Chu cash of Liu Sung Dynasty (420AD-479AD) showing that the legend Hsiao Chien on the reverse and the value Ssu Shu on the obverse both in Chinese characters [Ssu Shu means weight in 4 Shu]. This Hsiao Chien Ssu Shu was cast in the early Hsiao Chien period, as the later Hsiao Chien cash are lack of obverse value and lighter weight. The first Ssu Shu piece in the Sung Dynasty of the Southern Dynasties was minted in the 7th year of the Yuan Chia reign of Emperor Wen Ti (430AD). It bears the value "Ssu Shu" in Chinese character on obverse.
Please pay more attention at the colour of these two Hsiao Chien cash, they are much darker than the normal Chinese ancient cash, it is believed that more lead or tin were mixed into the metal content. The central holes of these two cash are very large and they weighed less than 2 grams.

More about "Ho-Pei Chien"
by Chinese Coinage Web Site


    Bibliography

  1. Ting Fu Pao : ,(A dictionary of ancient Chinese coins), 1982.
  2. A History of Chinese Currency (16th Century BC - 20th Century AD), 1983 Jointly Published by Xinhua (New China) Publishing House N.C.N. Limited M.A.O. Management Group Ltd. ISBN 962 7094 01 3
  3. Pang Hsin Wei : The Currency History of China, 1988. ISBN7-208-00196-0/K.47
    4.



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Any additional comment would be much appreciated, you can send it to Y.K.Leung.