Tian Lu Tong Bao
rarest cash coin

Coin image received from Gilbert Tan (08-Sep-99):

It is the image of Liao rarity Tian Lu Tong Bao which I obtained on my recent trip to Liaoning Province.

Only 2 truly genuine pieces are known, the last being from the hoard discovered at Ba Lin City in 1981 and now it is in the Ba Lin Museum, Inner Mongolia.
Note the unique style of the Lu character which is difficult to replicate. There are many fakes of this coin that have baffled collectors for many years. I know after investigating the calligraphy that this is the only genuine variety. All others are fakes. All early Liao rarities must be in red copper and those that are yellowish are imitations (eg. the good fake sold in Shanghai auction last year for 100,000 renminbi [~ USD 12,500] was yellow).