Chinese Cash Coin

Exbrit

I'm trying to determine the approximate value of the below Chinese Cash Coin. Any *****istance is appreciated:

In VF condition

Emperor KAO TSUNG
AD 1736-1795

reign title: CH'IEN-LUNG, AD 1736-1795

CH'IEN-LUNG SHAN-LUNG

Ch'ien-lung is thought of as one of the most brilliant rulers in Chinese history. He was a patron of the arts, which reached a very high level during his reign. His is also one of the few Chinese emperors to abdicate the throne, which he did to honor K'ang Hsi (his father) by ending his reign just before it would have exceeded the length of K'ang Hsi's reign.

There are two basic series to the coins of Ch'ien-lung. The primary series has the regular Ch'ien-lung inscription, produced at many mints throughout his reign. The second type is referred to as the Shan-lung commemorative issue, with two upright strokes added to the bottom of the character "Lung", and is thought to have been issued during the period from his abdication in 1795 to his death in 1799.

This coin is the primary series

PRIMARY SERIES

S-1464, "BOO CIOWAN" (Board of Revenue mint in Bejing). The Manchu mint name translates to Pao-Ch'uan, or "The Fountain head of the Currency".

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lordmarcovan

Ch'ien Lung coins are in general very common, and are consequently of low value, despite their historical appeal and the fact that they're just neat looking coins. But are there subvarieties worth more? Perhaps. I'm not the person to help with that, I'm afraid.

Exbrit

Thanks - I was under the impression that they are common and go for just a few bucks.

lordmarcovan

That's the impression I have as well, though if there are some exceptions to that, I don't know.

Sapyx

This coin is not a "Shan Lung" coin. The Shan Lung (or "Shan Long") variety is relatively scarce and quite popular among Chinese cash coin collectors, on account of the story of their origin, being cast in the name of the abdicated Emperor - the only Qing Dynasty emperor to abdicate voluntarily, because he did not wish to reign for longer than his illustrious grandfather did. Shan Lung coins have a slightly differently shaped bottom character; particularly, the bottom-right quadrant of the bottom character. You can see what one looks like in this example on zeno.ru