I am super duper excited about this 1867 Hong Kong Tael

[LincolnLover-migration]

Help!

 

I collect 20th century American coinage and I saw the coin shown below on ebay. I thought it might be silver and thought about buying it for bullion value. Then I started to look around... Somebody who has expertise in this area, can you tell me if I got taken for a beat up coin or if this is the real deal... I'm about to wet my pants. Can someone help me.

 

Brad

[satootoko]

Look at the irregular rims, the uneven denticles, and the source of your coin.

 

Now, consider that at a 1995 auction a choice brilliant proof of that design realized $80,500.

 

Finally, ask yourself whether you actually found an ebay seller of what Krause lists as a rare Shanghai Tael Series pattern, silver, 1 liang, KM#Pn2, under the China Foreign Enclaves heading.

 

I sincerely hope the lesson wasn't too expensive.

[physics-fan3.14]

I hate to say it, but that coin should have raised innumerable red flags. You appear to have gotten a counterfeit, and I hope the lesson was not expensive. I hope you have return priviliges.

[LincolnLover-migration]

Well, I figured as much... I bought it because it wasn't the one with rays which is the one that gets all the money. I do have a return option and I will weigh it when it arrives to see if it comes close. The rims bothered me, but like I said, I bought it for the bullion. I'll udate this post when I receive the coin. Thanks for the info.

 

I ought to keep it as a reminder that if something is too good to be true it probably is... but I won't

[gmarguli]

It's a poorly done counterfeit likely minted in pot metal.

[jackson64]

I suspect that it is made of what some of the Chinese sellers like to call "white copper"

[spoon-migration]

This is a bad deal, even if you only paid for bullion. Unless of course you just like the design and want to have a conversation starter.

[shirohniichan]

It can't be a bad coin because it says, "Honi soit qui mal y pense" (Shame be to him who thinks evil of it) right on the coin!

[HiHoAudio]

Once bitten, twice shy.