Can someone help identify this Asian coin

[Ugakoivet]

What do you experts think?

[JKK]

Can you please measure the diameter in mm? That provides a point of denomination and variety confirmation in some cases.

[Ugakoivet]

Thanks, it is 1mm thick and 2.5cm in diameter. I hope that helps.

 

 

Lyn

 

[JKK]

It will probably help someone. I didn't find it in my references, but the Krause sections on China are...daunting. The biggest tell by far would be the reverse, because most cash coins or cashlike coins that have two characters on the back have the Imperial character and then the mint. There is a reasonable chance it's Korean. I could have made it easier by taking the images and rotating them into their vertical positions (it helps when looking for these), but did not have the time to do that. Not even sure about the reverse, but the obverse would be right side up if rotated about 130 degrees clockwise. Good luck!

[toyonakataro]

I think it'a a Vietnum coin. I found similar coins on Yahoo Japan.

[Ugakoivet]

Thanks! I wonder how old they are but that is very helpful toyonakataro!

 

[JKK]

I'll go look in Krause's Vietnam section at some point here. Thanks for the point in that direction, toyonakataro.

[JKK]

A good possibility is that it's a French Protectorate of Annam 1888-1907 10 van, KM #628 (not worth much).

 

[Ugakoivet]

Thanks jKK. It looks so crusty I thought it was older. You rock.

 

Lyn

[JKK]

You can check here at Numista to see if you agree. I could easily be wrong. Coins of superficially similar appearance (at least, to those of us who do not read any Asian language) are found back to the 1600s at least in several countries of the region, meaning a fair bit of digging. I once spent three hours with blood about pouring out my ears combing Chinese cash listings for a Korean coin, which I finally only figured out through a specialist guide that only serious foreign coin wonks (hi there) would even want.