Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 11/11/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi. I have 2 coins that look very similar. The one on the left weigns 28g and has a reeded edge. The one one the right  weighs 32g and instead of a reeded edge has writing on it: DA QING ZAO BI CHANG and also other characters. In addition the one on the right is thicker. Both have a dragon on the other side with the words: YUN-NAN PROVINCE ONE TAEL. Can you provide any information on either one? I am not sure of they are real or not. Thanks

ANSWER: Hi Timea,
Unfortunately these are "fantasy" coins. Modern counterfeiters often use non-existing designs in order to avoid breaking laws that protect the copying of existing currency. Yunan province had silver dollar coins, but the inscription would read "7 mace and 2 candareens" or some version of that.
The tael is a unit of trade currency, not typically meant for circulation within the province itself. While some provinces and Asian countries had them, Yunan did not.
The coins that these two are modeled after would weigh right around 28.5 grams and should be the same diameter and thickness of a US silver dollar.
Thanks for the question! =)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the reply. Can you recommend any good web sites to help me identify?
I have a box full of Chinese coins that I have collected over the years that all look different.  

Answer
Sure thing, some useful sites are:

http://www.tibetancoins.com/Chinese%20Fantsy%20Coin%20Photos.htm

http://coincollecting.a-z-series.com/category/coins-section-or-category/forgerie

http://coins.about.com/od/worldcoins/ig/Chinese-Counterfeiting-Ring/Chinese-Fake

http://ykleungn.tripod.com/tibbook2.htm

http://www.sportstune.com/chinese/coins/idpage.html


These are all limited guides, the complete ones are not available for free.

Thanks again! =)