Unlisted 5-cash iron coin
Jia Ding Yong Bao

      Very bulky iron value 5 cash coin.
      Found in the vicinity of Chengdu, Sichuan.

      This one just came in from China, is unlisted and presents a challenge. Below are two possible translations. The first seems most plausible, but then I know of no other Southern Song iron coins - or any other others - on which the mint name appears on the obverse. Let's see what feedback we get.

1. Obv: YONG-BAO = Currency of the Yong [mint, Sichuan]
   Rev: PING / Official WU = Equal to 5
   
   
2. Obv: YONG-BAO = of monetary use
   Rev: PING = unlisted mint / Official WU (5) = of the PING mint

      What iron Jia Ding coins with bottom reverse character Wu (5) are known (see list of used referencies):

Obverse	Reverse	Reverse meaning [1]	Ref.
jia ding tong bao (tbrl) jiading current coin	yong | wu		D1410
	xing | wu	value five	S948, D1411
	xing | wu	value five	Hua, p.731
	xi si | wu	Chuanxi mint (Sichuan) the fourth serie value 5	Hua, p.733
jia ding yuan bao (trbl) jiading coin	wu	value 5	S947
	li yi | wu	Lizhou mint the first serie value 5	S946, D1422
	li er | wu	Lizhou mint the second serie value 5	S944
	li san | wu	Lizhou mint the third serie value 5	Hua, p.739
	li zhou | wu	Lizhou mint value five	S945 Hua, p.739
jia ding yuan bao (tbrl) jiading coin	yong | wu		D1425
	xing | wu	value five	D1426
	dang | wu	value five	S941 Hua, p.738
	xi er | wu	Chuanxi (Sichuan) the second serie value five	S942 D1424
	xi san | wu	Chuanxi (Sichuan) the third serie value five	S943
jia ding zhen bao (tbrl) jiading precious coin	shi | wu	? value 5	D1437
jia ding xing bao (tbrl) jiading prosperous coin	zheng | wu	value five	S953 D1440
jia ding zhi bao (tbrl) jiading coin	zheng | wu	value five	S954 D1443
jia ding zhong bao (tbrl) jiading heavy coin	yong | wu		D1446
	xing | wu	value five	S950 D1447
	tong | wu	value five	S951 Hua, p.741
	xi er | wu	Chuanxi (Sichuan) the second serie value five	Hua, p.742
jia ding zhi bao (tbrl) jiading perfect coin	hui | wu	Huimin mint value five	S955 D1448
jia ding feng bao (tbrl) jiading feudal? coin	quan | wu	value five	D1449

      BTW, there is Vietnamese Canh Hung Dung Bao cash coin, that was issued by ruler Le Hien Tong (1740-1786), which have the same coin name as learned here Jia Ding cash - .

      References:

1. S: Schjoth, F. Chinese Currency. 1929, reprinted 1965 (with Virgil Hancock additions, USA), 1976 (London).
2. D: Ding Fu-bao, "Lidai Guqian Tongsho", 1940, reprinted 1996 with Ma Dingxiang comments; in Chinese.
3. Jen: Jen, David Chinese Cash: Identification and Price Guide. 340p, 2000.
4. FD: Fisher, Geo. Fisher's Ding (Ding Fu-bao translated, valuations, charts, etc).
5. Hua: Hua Guangpu, Ed. Zhong Guo, Gu Qian Mu Lu, 1998, V.1: Early to N. Sung; V. 2 Southern Sung to Ming; V.3: Ch'ing; in Chinese.
6. W. Op den Velde, Cash Coin Index. Part I: China. The Sung Dynasties, Amsterdam, 1995.
7. The Tower of Bable on-line data base.