Need help identifying my friend's coin

[coin-boy007-migration]

Hello- a friend of mine found a coin while working

at a recycling company and wonders what it is.

 

I've not seen the coin myself, and only have

what he has told me about it today:

 

First, he said it could be gold (only because

of the color of it), I doubt he is right about that.

 

It's not very heavy he says, and is the size of

an American quarter, or a bit larger possibly.

 

On one side, it has "1000" across the middle

from left to right. Some possible beams of light

or sunlight(?) or something, he said, around

the "1000."

 

On the other side, a building in the center, and

some small writing along the bottom and also

some writing/numbers along the top. He said

the writing wasn't in English. As he tried to

describe the writing along the top to me:

 

ON UPPER LEFT SIDE:

The number "1", then a "C" shape but pointed

corners, not curved, and crooked, facing upwards

and to the right, then what starts as a "C" shape

but continues with a line straight up. Almost like

an odd shaped "d." Next, what starts as a "V" but

has an upside-down "L" connect to it. Then a "7"

and then a "1"

 

ON UPPER RIGHT SIDE:

The number "7", then again the "V" with the upside-

down "L" connected to it. Then a "7", but with a small

line coming out of the left middle of it. Then a "1". Then

what looks like an "upside-down" umbrella or anchor.

Then a "W" shape, that is crooked and facing more off

to the right side.

 

If from my terrible description above, anyone can tell

me any info at all, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

Thanks so much....................

[satootoko]

A couple of your characters sound Greek - but then it's all Greek to me.

[gmarguli]

If you could post a picture, I'm sure we could identify it rather easily.

[Tbirde56]

Arabic and Japanese number characters:

http://home.psknet.com/tbirde/Coins/Arabic_Jap.jpg

[NASH6160-migration]

HEY, YOUR COIN PICTURE LOOKS KINDA LIKE THE ONE I NEED HELP IDENTIFYING........! CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT, WHERE, & WHEN ABOUT THIS COIN??? PLEASE.....

[satootoko]

 

It's a Chinese cash coin, cast brass, probably 19th Century but possibly earlier or later. Pictures of both sides, at a high enough resolution to permit some enlargement in a photo editing program, would help immensely in pinning it down.

 

Cash coins were cast in that shape and size for well over a millenium, right into the early 20th Century, in China, Korea, Japan and Annam (present-day Vietnam), by the billions. They can be found in brass, bronze, iron and copper.