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1920 10 Cash, China (Republic), white metal?

Hi. I have what appears to be the Y#306.2b 1920 Republic of China 10 cash coin, a common issue. But, there's something odd about it: it's a white metal. The weight is 5.66 g, so it is "light" (copper 10 cash of this sort weighs about 6.8 g). It could be aluminum, but I would think that aluminum would be even lighter? I can't find any info on aluminum or other white metal patterns or "off-metal" examples for Y 306 type 10 cash coins.

Any ideas? Thanks!!

Comments

  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 16, 2018 1:58PM

    Post images. Provide something that can be magnified and also image the edge. There may be a good reason you cannot find information on a white metal strike. :wink:

  • CIVITASCIVITAS Posts: 2,256 ✭✭✭

    I don't believe the weight standard on these was very exacting so being light doesn't strike me as unusual. I suspect it is just plated with another metal of some kind post-mint. I think I see some coppery color peeking through on the edges.

    image
    https://www.civitasgalleries.com

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    Josh Moran

    CIVITAS Galleries, Ltd.
  • Thanks for the replies. Actually, that reddish color is a reflection - I saw that in the picture and immediately checked it. Checking the rims and surfaces very carefully again just now, there are a lot of "dings" but no visible copper. Also, it's worn enough on the surfaces, and the rim has dings deep enough, etc., that you'd expect copper to peek through somewhere on the coin if it were plated. The really worn areas and dinged in portions are uniformly "white" (as in aluminum/pewter looking).

  • TurboSnailTurboSnail Posts: 1,668 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 16, 2018 4:36PM

    It seems like a novelty item. Can you show the other side of the coin? I don't recall any 10 win coin that was not copper during that time. There were coins made of silver but at higher face value.

  • Insider2Insider2 Posts: 14,452 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I agree with CIVITAS. In my humble opinion, your coin is 99.99% PLATED.

  • I've tried to post the other image (of the reverse) but it won't post "until approved". Guess that's a "new poster" thing.

    And thanks again for the suggestions.

    The rim is worn through to the level of the coin face in several places, on the obverse as well as the reverse, so it must be 99.999999%, not 99.99%, plated! (I'm just kidding, I know you mean you're 99.99% sure it's plated.)

    But I would buy the novelty item hypothesis first, since I can't see how plating would survive wear all the way through the rim?

  • amwldcoinamwldcoin Posts: 11,269 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 18, 2018 6:28AM

    The coin may have been plated after it became so worn!

  • Thanks for your help, all.

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