I think I am the only person who goes to China and cannot find a fake Trade dollar
Longacre
Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
So here I am, plying the streets of Beijing, in search of a fake Trade dollar. I don’t know what the problem is, but I cannot seem to find one. I stopped by the Louis Vuitton store to pick up a few things for Mrs. L., and they didn’t have any there. The Fendi store in the hotel didn’t have any either. So I figured I should go off the beaten track and try looking outside of the shopping malls and the hotel.
I thought I would have better luck at the kiosk type stands pictured below, but surprisingly I could only find literally thousands of “I Climbed The Great Wall” t-shirts. My next venture out onto the streets is this afternoon. There is something called the Silk Market, which supposedly has higher end stuff, and also flea market type material. I hope to find some Trade dollars there. I will try to post a report later.
In the meantime, I was able to find some things somewhat related to numismatics. At the Ming Tombs, they had some treasures that they dug up when excavating the tombs. Here is a picture of one of the tombs:
Here is a picture of the gold ingots and a picture of the silver ingots:
On the way to the Great Wall, we passed by the Birds Nest, which is the main stadium for next year’s Olympics:
Then I visited the Great Wall, hoping that some of the vendors would have a fake Trade dollar or two. I included two pictures below to give an idea of the sheer size of the wall. As board member DaveG suggested that I do, I stood at the base of the wall, and bellowed out as loud as I could, “What a great wall!”.
As you go up to the wall (you actually have to take a cable car to get to it, that is how steep the wall is), you have to walk through a gauntlet of people selling all sorts of useless junk. I have never been man handled so much in my life by people trying to sell me a $1 t-shirt (note to future visitors-- everything here is $1, until they get you cornered in the kiosk and the prices suddenly change). However, these vendors are certainly full service. They even offered to exchange US dollars for Yuan, but at an exchange rate that would make my fairly fancy hotel blush. Here is a picture of these characters, but none sold Trade dollars:
After my nightly massage this evening (US$ 20 per hour, and I don’t know where these little Chinese women get such excessively strong hands, but Longacre’s back, which typically aches, feels like a million dollars this week), I will venture out again in search of some fakes.
Finally, to get this back on a numismatic track, I took a quite artsy picture of the local currency for your viewing pleasure:
I thought I would have better luck at the kiosk type stands pictured below, but surprisingly I could only find literally thousands of “I Climbed The Great Wall” t-shirts. My next venture out onto the streets is this afternoon. There is something called the Silk Market, which supposedly has higher end stuff, and also flea market type material. I hope to find some Trade dollars there. I will try to post a report later.
In the meantime, I was able to find some things somewhat related to numismatics. At the Ming Tombs, they had some treasures that they dug up when excavating the tombs. Here is a picture of one of the tombs:
Here is a picture of the gold ingots and a picture of the silver ingots:
On the way to the Great Wall, we passed by the Birds Nest, which is the main stadium for next year’s Olympics:
Then I visited the Great Wall, hoping that some of the vendors would have a fake Trade dollar or two. I included two pictures below to give an idea of the sheer size of the wall. As board member DaveG suggested that I do, I stood at the base of the wall, and bellowed out as loud as I could, “What a great wall!”.
As you go up to the wall (you actually have to take a cable car to get to it, that is how steep the wall is), you have to walk through a gauntlet of people selling all sorts of useless junk. I have never been man handled so much in my life by people trying to sell me a $1 t-shirt (note to future visitors-- everything here is $1, until they get you cornered in the kiosk and the prices suddenly change). However, these vendors are certainly full service. They even offered to exchange US dollars for Yuan, but at an exchange rate that would make my fairly fancy hotel blush. Here is a picture of these characters, but none sold Trade dollars:
After my nightly massage this evening (US$ 20 per hour, and I don’t know where these little Chinese women get such excessively strong hands, but Longacre’s back, which typically aches, feels like a million dollars this week), I will venture out again in search of some fakes.
Finally, to get this back on a numismatic track, I took a quite artsy picture of the local currency for your viewing pleasure:
Always took candy from strangers
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
0
Comments
Terry
Ray
MGySgt USMC(ret)
1979-2003
Aviation Radar Technician
Communications & Electronics Chief
Check out my current listings: https://ebay.com/sch/khunt/m.html?_ipg=200&_sop=12&_rdc=1
Apropos of the coin posse/aka caca: "The longer he spoke of his honor, the tighter I held to my purse."
Those fake Trade and Bust dollars can't be found in the "foreign" or business areas of the larger cities, especially Beijing. Go off the beaten path or go visit some of the marketplaces in the sticks away from the urban areas and you can find them by the bagloads. Don't forget to haggle and bargain hard for everything while in China.
The Silk Market is one huge flea market-like bourse building. Actually you may find some of those fake coins there. If buying anything else, especially silk, make sure they are in fact made with the real material before committing to your purchase.
As for the Louis Vuitton and Fendi stores, make sure you check and visually inspect the specific items you are planning to purchase as counterfeits have been known to slip in to the inventories of the brand stores as well. Also before buying anything for the Misses make sure the specific models are in fact cheaper in China versus the prices for their U.S. counterparts. Also don't forget to factor in possible duties imposed upon entering the U.S.
Whether you agree with China's government policies and/or social standards or not, China is definitely a fascinating place to visit.
Authorized dealer for PCGS, PCGS Currency, NGC, NCS, PMG, CAC. Member of the PNG, ANA. Member dealer of CoinPlex and CCE/FACTS as "CH5"
Ounces troy to taels 0.83
Taels to ounces troy 1.20337
Collector of US Small Size currency, Atlanta FRNs, and Georgia nationals since 1977. Researcher of small size US type - seeking serial number data for all FRN star notes, Series 1928 to 1934-D. Life member SPMC.
<< <i>While it's cool that you went to China, I don't understand this. You could simply buy a bunch off ebay if you really wanted them. No need to go all the way to China. >>
Because he wants a guarenteed GENUINE Chinese fake?
I went this evening to the Silk Market. Like WTCG said, there were bucketfulls of Trade dollars, Seated dollars, and Morgan dollars (and tons of coins from other countries). I am no expert in authentication, but these coins looked awful. Even someone who is not a coin collector could tell that they just didn't look right. I only had 100 yuan notes on me, and I certainly was not going to pay that for the coins, and I didn't want to deal with trying to get change from the vendors (who are incredibly aggressive; I have never been poked, prodded, and pulled by the sleeve so much in my life).
I did make one purchase-- a chess set. Because the seller said the pieces were made of rare ox bone, and the board was extremely rare balsa wood, I paid up for the privilege of owning it.
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
Have a safe trip home.
Hope to see you on Sunday, unless, of course, you have a last minute cancellation at the LAHB.
I firmly believe in numismatics as the world's greatest hobby, but recognize that this is a luxury and without collectors, we can all spend/melt our collections/inventories.
eBaystore
I saw the same Chess set in Wal-Mart the other day.....It said "Made in China"
Did your's say "Made in the U.S.A"?
have a safe one......
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
Guess I will be spending time on my Philippine coin sets!
Does that mean that you found Real trade dollars?
Go to the old market section "antique row" near Nanjing Rd.