Chinese Study coin- observations added to first post

laurentyvan

There was quite a bit going on with this China ROC ND(1927), so I bought it as a study coin.

I thought it would be interesting if members wanted to post their own and we could have a small seminar on the flaws and errors we encounter on coins. I spent some time reading and studying about this coin's problems and I've more or less made up my mind about it. I'd still like others opinions on it before I discuss my observations.

Looking at this coins reverse side dark spots, it had to be as black and dark as, well, the Darkside can get before it was cleaned.

I have to apologize for the images-I have to get a macro lens for this camera to get in tight but there are too many coins waiting for me.







As to ID, Y#318a, .8900 silver is what I was comfortable with- bust of Sun Yat Sen- 1 Yuan (dollar) reverse: two rosettes dividing legend at top, mausoleum in Nanking. There exist 1949 restrikes of the Momento dollar (so-called). There are modern re-strikes in red copper and brass.

The reason I purchased the coin were the obvious physical flaws which I wanted to identify and learn from.

At 12:00 o'clock I think we have a coin struck on a damaged or defective planchet. The strike shows interior areas of the planchet missing or broken out, showing on the struck coin as sharp or jagged edges.

The area slightly above and behind the ear seems to be "struck on a laminated, split or broken planchet. Note that when a coin is struck with a lamination in place, the design is going to show in the bottom of the hole when the lamination drops off", and that seems to be what is going on, as the head line shows clearly, despite the missing metal.

And then we have the strict definition of a laminated die: " a thin layer of the die metal which was lifted up and partially seperated from the die, appearing on the struck coin as a depressed area, usually with a die crack along one side or edge of the depression."

A die crack starts just behind the eye, travels behind the ear, and up to about 2:00 o'clock to the edge of the coin.

There seem to be elements of several flaws or errors mixed together and I have not been quiet in my mind about positive diagnoses concerning this coin.

There are also edge problems which I am having trouble understanding so any help from the experts is appreciated.

canadiancoinguy

The lamination at the top is what really catches my eye on this one. I'm not too suprised, I've seen alot of Chinese silver from that period with copper streaks from improper mixing of the copper into the silver, but this would be the first lamination I've seen (for an genuine piece, that is.)

satootoko

It appears from the English inscription to be some kind of commemorative medal, but on the other side it does have a denomination of one yuan. However, I don't see the character for year anywhere on the piece. There does appear to be a four at the right end of the bottom inscription on the heads side. (If I were home, my headscratching smiley would be here.)

Without my references I can't be sure, but the portrait doesn't look like anything I remember seeing, and something just doesn't look right about the strike/wear of the character strokes. A most curious piece.

sumnom

Satootoko,

See Krause Y# 318a. This looks to be the 1927 restrike of the original 1912 commemorative issue. Krause says that there where also 1949 restrikes as well but I do not know how to identify them. There are also copper and brass restrikes.

I think these were circulating commemoratives, yes?

sumnom

laurent,

I was looking forward to hearing what you had to say about this piece. What do you think about it?

laurentyvan

I'm at work briefly (Friday day off) and then heading to Rochester to spend a couple of hours at the coin store and return home heavily laden. Then some grocery shopping and I'll post to this thread then.

laurentyvan

The more I study this coin, the more I get confused-observations in first post.