I purchased this on eBay for $1.89 (Chinese pieces are usually $2). All I can read is "Republic of China 25 Year" on the obverse, with character "Ping" supposedly for province Pingyuan, while the reverse says "10" in financial form and another character...
Thanks for helping me out, if you do. I'm hoping it's not counterfeit.
Kenny
- Verifying your Asian and British-territorial coins everyday with the best quality photos and the best information.
I purchased this on eBay for $1.89 (Chinese pieces are usually $2). All I can read is "Republic of China 25 Year" on the obverse, with character "Ping" supposedly for province Pingyuan, while the reverse says "10" in financial form and another character...
Thanks for helping me out, if you do. I'm hoping it's not counterfeit.
Can't help you with the identification mate, it's out of my area of expertise.
The verdigris makes me think it's genuine, I mean why go to the trouble of faking a condition abhorred by most bronze/copper collectors? Is there any sign of a seam around the edge of the coin? While the high value forgeries use laser cut dies and 150 ton presses, cheaper fakes are usually made in two seperate strikes which causes a noticeable line and often a slight die rotation.
I've never been able to decide what to do about verdigris, it's often a serious disfigurement and left alone it will eat away at a coin relentlessly. Removing it will probably make matters worse as the exposed area will have an entirely different hue. I remember reading that it can be stabalised however without damage. Pretty sure it was along the lines of treating the affected parts to normalise the PH value. Conventional wisdom seems to be that this is "conserving" rather than "cleaning" and is acceptable to collectors. (not sure what the TPG opinion is though so use caution)
It's strange that the seller has pages of "unknown dynasty" coins - you would expect a little more knowledge from someone who sells so many. I really like the Zodiac coins he has for sale, never seen them before and they are beautiful. Wouldn't mind getting me grubby hands on a set of those. Have you dealt with this seller before?
Non illegitimis carborundum est. Excellent advice for all coins.
Make Numismatics Great Again!
Thank you though, Philip. I appreciate the effort.
There are more than just some counterfeit Chinese copper coins. Usually the case is that the lettering is poorly written. I don't have the coin in my hands; otherwise I'd post a picture of my own. I'll use your advice when it's in the mail.
Conserving, great way of calling it. Often people would say cleaning is bad, but there are some cases where it's just too dirty. In fact, I don't even use any cleaner. I just do a slight rinse.
Funny thing that he writes them that way. I can understand each coin though, thanks to my Japanese heritage. As I've said, it's written 中国廿五年 拾... I don't know all the characters in the world but it's legible. I've seen some silver coins being sold, like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/180719464791?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649. It says 五銭 which is a weight of silver in China, 5 mace, or half a tael.
The Zodiac coins aren't really coins... they're merely medallions. If you'd like to bid on them, knock yourself out! But all you'll get are a few silver pieces not found in the catalogues.
I know I shouldn't but...I have so many duplicates of some pennies and farthings that I clean some of them! They look so majestic when you've got them back to an uncirculated look. Verdegris is difficult stuff to shift. Black dirt on silver coins is the worst though.
Kenneth how's school?
Phil glad you liked the coins...thanks for the feedback. Still waiting!
Quote: bam777I know I shouldn't but...I have so many duplicates of some pennies and farthings that I clean some of them! They look so majestic when you've got them back to an uncirculated look. Verdegris is difficult stuff to shift. Black dirt on silver coins is the worst though.
Kenneth how's school?
Phil glad you liked the coins...thanks for the feedback. Still waiting!
Good morning Ken, remember the half crown with the ugly black stain? I removed it with a pencil eraser, it's just like new again.
Cleaning in general is bad because in addition to removing the dirt it takes away the patina acquired over the years. A problem coin can be improved with a little judicious care, although purists will say leave it alone. It's one of coin collectings dirty little secrets but just about every coin over say a hundred years old has been cleaned at some point. Collectors used to lacquer coins to protect them! There are even companies who "conserve" coins in such a way that the major TPGs will accept although the cost is prohibitive.
If anyone has a coin which has been harshly cleaned (a problem in it's own right) you will notice under magnification that it's covered in random hairline scratches and has a flat, dull look. It's missing the naturally toned beauty. People try all types of bizarre methods to restore it including baking them and blowing cigarette smoke on them. The most natural way is to use older style coin folders which are made from paper with a high sulphur content, it usually creates a nice "coin book" toning after a few years.
Non illegitimis carborundum est. Excellent advice for all coins.
Make Numismatics Great Again!
A bit late, but the Chinese characters mean Made In the 25th Year of the Republic
平 would denote the minting area, not sure which area had the code P'ing.
There are several websites that describe how to clean a coin using a cell phone charger (using electrolysis). Anyone here ever try that method? Wonder if it works...
Quote: fliegendehollander平 would denote the minting area, not sure which area had the code P'ing.
Thanks for all your advice, guys, even on cleaning.
There's preserving, which I've observed from a coin shop owner yesterday who used a cotton swab on Guernsey BU 1830's doubles (for $4 a piece). Preserving and slight rinsing is okay, personally, but overcleaning's not so good.
Hey Fliegendehollander, thank you for your remark. The character would probably denote Pingyuan, which doesn't exist anymore.
Kenny
- Verifying your Asian and British-territorial coins everyday with the best quality photos and the best information.
Oh coin shops, how I loved them whenever I traveled. In this part of the world you have to doubt everything you see in shops. And I mean EVERYTHING. Just yesterday I realized I bought fake bottled water.
I'll be gone in just 1 year though. God help I don't ingest any melamine-traced milk.
I know we're drifting off the original topic a bit but the subject of cleaning coins, as controversial as it is, has been touched on several times in the last few months that I know of. Also, I have previously stated my opinion that, if a coin is in a bad enough condition then, under certain circumstances, cleaning of that coin could be justified. I am also aware of the position of the so-called "purists" who say that no coin should ever be cleaned under any circumstances, but of those people I ask this question :- Why is it that for any given coin the highest value that can be acheived is for one that is graded "Brilliant Uncirculated". Surely this would suggest that the most desireable appearance of a coin is that with which it left the mint and as the engraver intended for it to appear?
PS. I should add that some of the coins in my permanent collection have been cleaned once, but none of the coins in my exhange list have had any cleaning that I know of.
Just because you can't see it ... doesn't mean it isn't there - Anon.
this may help in the matter of cleaning coins???