Sang Pyong Tong Bo Coin in Kentucky?!

[Appalachianman76]

I love metal detecting! You never know what you are going to find. I found my weirdest find ever this afternoon. I was hunting with my XP Deus in the downtown section of my hometown in Southeastern Kentucky. It was a decent hunt with very little clad and a few bonus everyday living artifacts. Unfortunately, no silver but wheaties were about 3-5 inches deep and Indian head pennies where running 6-8 inches deep. I hit a good deep signal in the penny range but larger than what a penny should be. As I was digging my pin pointer also indicated that it was larger than a typical coin. Once I was at 8 inches and still had not reached the target I began to think it was probably just a "big iron" target (I'd dug a couple of those already). So, I thrust my digger deep in the ground and pulled back to flip the target out quickly. Out flipped what I thought was a washer from 10 inches deep. As I began to dust it off I noticed the square hole and then characters around the hole. I realized it was some kind of weird coin or token and immediately stopped removing dirt as to not scratch it. Got it home and carefully cleaned it up as much as I dared. From what I gather through internet research I found a Two Mun ($2) - Sang Pyong Tong Bo Coin from Korea. These were minted from 1679-1891. I would love to hear the story about how it made its way from Korea to the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky!

I have no experience with Asian coins. So if anyone knows more about this coin, please share! Internet research is faulty at best. Thanks!

 

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[ScubaDetector]

They are Chinese cash coins found all over the USA. I have found two in Michigan. Worthless as millions were made and brought here. Still a nice find.

 

[Dan(NM)]

I would have to see the other side, but, I found what I think is the same type of coin in a park in NM. Pretty cool to find I think.

 

[Appalachianman76]

From what I understand, the Chinese, Koreans, Japanese and Vietnamese all had cash coins with square holes in them. The Vietnamese and Chinese actually still used them into to the 1930's to 50's. I even told my wife that I had found a Chinese coin. They all looked the same to me. However, when I looked closely to identify the symbols on the coin (possibly get an age or denomination), nothing matched except the Korean coin. The characters are different in the different countries. I read one article that said experts could determined the coin's age and even the mint location by the subtle differences in how the same symbols where drawn. It is all very interesting.

 

[ivan salis]

often asians worked laying the railroads ...0ften for luck they carried coins from their homelands

 

[Mackaydon]

A76,
I agree; your coin is a Korean sang pyong tong bo (常 平通寶) coin identical to the obverse of this one:

You can read more about Korean (and your coin) here:
Korean Coins
Don...

 

[CASPER-2]

ive given long story too many times
short story - they were brought over by the barrels full to Calif. with workers - used amoungst them selves until they made
US money - then were sold or traded off as good luck tokens -nuff said

 

[Loco-Digger]

I'd imagine it was brought home from a soldier who served in Korea.

 

[trapperart]

Congrats

 

[Appalachianman76]

A76,
I agree; your coin is a Korean sang pyong tong bo (常 平通寶) coin identical to the obverse of this one:

You can read more about Korean (and your coin) here:
Korean Coins
Don...

Thanks for the link. Good information!

 

[housemom6]

I know there was a
Jewelry fad not to long ago that had those kind of coins on them. They were like prayer beads

 

[against the wind]

Nice find,, it stirred up some good conversation and opinions.
Congrats

 

[Dave N Japan]

Wow, Looks like something that I would find here, love finding those old bronze coins, Congrats"