diam. 24.3 mm, weight 7.3g, reeded edge One liang (tael) value (changed character Liang  )Two dragons |
 Bei Yang Ji Qi Ju 
 - Peiyang Arsenal Mint In the center - Ku  - Treasure.
|
|
diam. 24.3 mm, weight 7.3g, reeded edge One liang (tael) value (changed character Liang )Two dragons |
Bei Yang Ji Qi Ju
- Peiyang Arsenal Mint In the center - Ku - Treasure.
|
9-Aug-96 That coin (sorry for item's quality) was issued by Peiyang Arsenal Mint in Tientsin. In KM is next information about that mint:
In KM are shown few items of silver coins with legend Peyang Arsenal mint in English and Chinese, but copper coins are absent in that catalog.
All Peyang Arsenal mint silver coins are dated from 1896 to 1898.
Kann mentions that 1 tael pattern was published by Ros in 1919, but he
doesn't list the piece in his catalog (see page 332). Ros was an Italian
collector of Chinese coins who had connections in the Tientsin mint
and was able to obtain information unavailable to others. The 1 tael also
exists in brass with reeded edge [Lot #716], and two mules are known, one in copper,
the other in silver (or silver-plated). Two 10 tael mules are also known, in
copper and in brass, both with plain edges. A 10 tael in silver might also
exist.
These pieces are well made but are the wrong size for gold coins or silver
coins. A one tael gold coin should be about silver dollar size. A gold coin
representing 1 tael of silver would weigh about 2.3 grams (1/16 of 37
grams), wich would be much smaller than 24mm.
These don't have the appearance of coins or patterns and I thought they were
tokens when I first saw them. (Scott Semans)
A mint for struck cash was established in 1888 and the mint for the Peiyang silver coinage was added in 1896. This
mint was destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion. A replacement mint was built in 1902 for the provincial coinage and merged with the Tientsin control mint in 1910.
I suppose that placed here non-described coin was strucked between 1888 and 1896 years.
27-Feb-98 New unexpected! information found in the
catalogue The Daniel K.E.Ching Sale, June 2, 1991,
by Scott Semans and Bruce Smith:
Lot #715. Chihli - Peiyang 1 Tael Pattern for Gold Coin ? 24 mm copper
plain edge. Five characters meaning 'Peiyang Arsenal' around char.
k'u meaning 'store-house' or 'treasure'. Reverse has
two thin stylized similar to those used on Chihli 1 cash (Y66),
surrounding the value. XF ... 250.00
26-Feb-99 - from Jim Farr received image of the relative coin:
Obverse - Guang Xu Tong
Bao (reign title - 1875-1909 - of the Qing dynasty)
Two dragons and sun
Reverse:
Lin Yun Yi Wen - Small Change of 1 Cent (vertical)
Pei Yang (horizontal)
Thanks to Stephen Tai for the legend reading.
This coin is placed in the Krause Catalog under number Y#66, section 'Milled coinage
cash of the Peiyang Arsenal Mint'.