Chinese Numismatics in Research - Dubious or False Coins I

Dubious or False Coins VIIII

During my collecting in the passing 21 years, I have collected many dubious or false coins. Most of them were collected long time ago, but some of them are collected within the recent years. I really don't like being deceived. I think it is nothing to be ashamed of making such kind of mistake, sometimes even the advanced collectors would be deceived.

I pity the victims of the deceitful trading, though there was an unspoken rule in trading antiques in the ancient China, I was told that it is the buyer's responsibility to judge the authenticity of the antiques even nowadays. Coin hawkers always pleaded it is not guilty of deceit, when they were found selling counterfeit ancient coins in the flea market.

It seems my own affairs, but it may be your business later. I would like to discuss with you some of the amazing lore surrounding the Chinese coinage forgeries. If you have never collected fake coins, you are really lucky. On the other hand, if you want to share your knowledge and your enthusiasm in the coin collecting, you are welcome to express them in this page. I would like to learn something from you.

This is An Imitation of the congratulatory cash of the Hsien Feng reign

This counterfeit coin was unluckily purchased by Mr. S.F. .

He wrote to me an email on 17th Aug 2016. The email is self-explanatory.

Dear Sir,

Hi, I have had this coin for a while. I came across your website while trying to identify it and was hoping you had some information. Attached are pictures.

Thank you!

Best Regards,

S.F.

By courtesy of Mr. S.F.

Mr. S.F.'s coin is a counterfeit coin. On the obverse of this cash is the legend of "Hsien Feng T'ung Pao" (This legend is only suitable for one cash coin during Hsien Feng period.) in direct reading or symmetric reading. On the reverse of this cash, it imitated the congratulatory cash with the dragon and phoenix. I think a genuine Hsien Feng congratulatory cash of the same type, is at least worth about US dollars 1000 to 1500.

I surf the internet again, and find that there are many coins of the same type selling online, but the prices are too good to be true.

The above coin is sold for about US$14 online.

This one is more convincing than the above one. It is sold for US$50 online. Of course the seller does not guarantee it is an authentic coin.

I suggest collectors buy coins from the familiar dealers only, If they will honor the return of a fake without time limit. ykl

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