Chinese Coins Found in Oregon?

[BalfourDigger]

Howdy all, I recently found these coins, along with some square nails and and other junk (a silver ring), at 1915 house along where I believe an old rail like used to run. Spot is on a hillside. Do you think these are costume jewelry, or could they be coins from workers at a possible railroad/logging camp? I've seen replica coins like this, and these very well could be that, but the corrosion on them makes me think they've been in the ground quite a while.

 

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[jeff of pa]

railroad/logging camp nice score



The gambling game may have arisen during third and fourth centuries, during the period of the Northern and Southern dynasties. It then spread through southern China during the Qing dynasty. The name fantan dates back only to the mid-nineteenth century. Before that time, fantan was known as yanqian 掩錢 (literally meaning “covering coins”, tanxi 攤 戲, tanqian 攤錢, yiqian 意錢. It was prominent during the Late Qing and Republican period in Canton and the Pearl River Delta region
After 1850, fantan spread overseas as a side effect of the massive Cantonese emigration. As a rule, in places where a significant number of Cantonese migrants could be found, fantan was also present. [Wikipedia]

 

[Yang Hao]

Welcome to tnet.

Two of the coins appear to be 乾隆通宝 qianlong tong bao
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qianlong_Emperor

The third coin appears to be 嘉庆通宝 jiaqing tong bao
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaqing_Emperor

 

[intimer]

Check these out.

I once new a gentleman, now passed away, that collected this sort of Chinese coin(?) all I remember is some are common as hens teeth but some can be of value. How much I don’t know. The gentleman was very knowledgeable. So he knew something.
I checked ebays sold list for chines coins square hole and by far they were low priced but one alone sold for $16, 50 & even one for $300. Being yours were dug, should be worth checking out. Where idk.
I collect coal & lumber scrip from TN, TX & OH as a general rule they are common, but there are some bring way over $100, when multiple bidders want the same token the bid can far exceed the norm. Every star that used scrip have very rare unknown pieces. So check yours out, never know!
good find, mike
hope yours fall in the very rare category, I wouldn’t clean them either.

 

[Yang Hao]

I once new a gentleman, now passed away, that collected this sort of Chinese coin(?) all I remember is some are common as hens teeth but some can be of value. How much I don’t know. The gentleman was very knowledgeable. So he knew something.
I checked ebays sold list for chines coins square hole and by far they were low priced but one alone sold for $16, 50 & even one for $300. Being yours were dug, should be worth checking out. Where idk.
I collect coal & lumber scrip from TN, TX & OH as a general rule they are common, but there are some bring way over $100, when multiple bidders want the same token the bid can far exceed the norm. Every star that used scrip have very rare unknown pieces. So check yours out, never know!
good find, mike
hope yours fall in the very rare category, I wouldn’t clean them either.

Lately I have been going through older posts of Chinese coins. I've noticed a few coins that are not from Qing Dynasty but from earlier Dynasties. In fact, there are two posts from a few years ago that if I spotted them at that time I would have nominated them for top banner.

 

[jeff of pa]

Lately I have been going through older posts of Chinese coins. I've noticed a few coins that are not from Qing Dynasty but from earlier Dynasties. In fact, there are two posts from a few years ago that if I spotted them at that time I would have nominated them for top banner.

I have a piece of knife money somewhere. unfortunately I don't remember where I found it,
thought it was a charm back then, not money. of course it was only 2 to 3 inches long so
may have been a replica charm

so I don't know what binder it is in. and they are all at my nephews these days.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

Oldies, for sure...!
Key-them-out, and get the Dynasty period of mintage.
Use this site to id them...Nice finds...!
Chinese Coins
Welcome to the forum, by the way...!

 

[azdave]

I have found quite a few here in AZ.... at mining camps and one at a "road" camp, used by the work crews on one of the early main roads(1916).

When researching them, I just gave up because there are so many variations... cool none the less!

 

[No gold in NY]

Does this mean that my brass coins with the square hole are ancient? Or could they be modern?

 

[Madmox]

Does this mean that my brass coins with the square hole are ancient? Or could they be modern?

They could be both. They utilized that shape coin for a lllooonnnngggg time

 

[angelito1]

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