Chinese

[asmodeus]

Dear fellow collectors
What is this ?

Regards  A.

[leseullunique]

this is the copy of a charm (some people are thinking a coin) minted uner Wang Mang, only 1 specimen have been finded, he is in shanghai museum.

I will make a few search in my books to find the exact reading

[asmodeus]

Tanks leseullunique
This is for sale in Norway for 30$, so I will not buy  it.

Regards  A.

[leseullunique]

You can buy it, it's the only way to have 1 in your collection. I bought the mine 3 or 4 years ago and chinese actually sell perfect copy, I saw 1 a few weeks ago, we realy need to be carefull

[asmodeus]

Thanks L
Do you know how they make that fantastic patina on all the fakes that the chinese produce.

Regards  A.

[leseullunique]

no sorry I still don't know it but chinese are the best faker, I saw some fake in French National Library collection, it's about impossible to say fake or not.

[manymore]

Reference is made to this piece in the Chinese book jian ming qian bi ci dian (A Concise Coin Dictionary).

The four character inscription surrounding the square hole at the top is read in an unusual order (top, left, right, bottom) as guo bao jin kui.

There is no discussion as to the meaning but it would seem to roughly translate as "national treasure gold deficiency".

The two characters on the lower part are read top to bottom as zhi wan.  Based on an archaic definition for the character zhi, the meaning is "value ten thousand".

The only additional information the reference book provides is that the piece was cast during the time of Wang Mang and that there are only two specimens known to exist.

Gary

[leseullunique]

Reference is made to this piece in the Chinese book jian ming qian bi ci dian (A Concise Coin Dictionary).

The four character inscription surrounding the square hole at the top is read in an unusual order (top, left, right, bottom) as guo bao jin kui.

There is no discussion as to the meaning but it would seem to roughly translate as "national treasure gold deficiency".

The two characters on the lower part are read top to bottom as zhi wan.  Based on an archaic definition for the character zhi, the meaning is "value ten thousand".

The only additional information the reference book provides is that the piece was cast during the time of Wang Mang and that there are only two specimens known to exist.

Gary

Dear Gary, I spook of this coin with François Thierry 2 weeks ago, he only saied me 1 specimen in Shanghai museum so can you say me where is the second?

Regards

[manymore]

Hi leseullunique,

As to your question regarding the whereabouts of the second specimen, I tried checking some additional Chinese references.

Zhong Guo Gu Qian Mu Lu (Catalog of Chinese Ancient Coins, 1992) only states that two specimens exist and ranks them as "Grade 1 -- Priceless".

Gu Qian Xin Dian (New Illustrative Plates of Chinese Ancient Coins) provides some interesting information.  The reference states that there are "two and a half" specimens known to exist.  One specimen is whole, one has damage, and one only has the top portion.  According to the text, all were unearthed in Xian, Shaanxi Province.

This reference further states that the "whole" one was unearthed in 1921 northwest of the city of Xian which was the site of government offices at the end of the Han Dynasty.

Unfortunately, the reference does not give any additional details concerning the "damaged" or "half" specimens.

None of these references mention where these pieces are at present.  This is not unusual, however, as these types of coin books usually do not mention where rare coins are located or who owns them.

Sorry I could not find the answer to your question.

Gary

[leseullunique]

Here are great informations for me.

I saw a few extremely good fakes recently, I will try to know more aboput the genuines by my friends in china, François Thierry or Helen Wang (from British Museum). As quick I have new, I will tell you.

regards