7 replies to this topic

[MC420]

Hi Folks:



These are few of the ancient gold coins found by Vietnamese farmers in Quang Binh (Central, VN)!

We couldn't identify which period of history or its origin since gold coins or any gold artifacts have always been extremely rare to be found or excavated in Vietnam. Could anyone here recognize or able to identify these gold coins?

[Pattie]

Hi Folks:



These are few of the ancient gold coins found by Vietnamese farmers in Quang Binh (Central, VN)!

We couldn't identify which period of history or its origin since gold coins or any gold artifacts have always been extremely rare to be found or excavated in Vietnam. Could anyone here recognize or able to identify these gold coins?

Hmm...they look really modern. Where did you find them? (Not the coins, of course, the info. ;-)

[MC420]

Hmm...they look really modern. Where did you find them? (Not the coins, of course, the info. ;-)

Pattie:

You are right; from further research, these coins (weight about 1/2 oz or 18 grams each) was recently minted in the lated 19th century to honor King Ham Nghi of the Nguyen's Dynasty. Due to the fact that "gold coins" were always very rare therefore it's extremely difficulty for anyone to find such a catch!

[Pattie]

Pattie:

You are right; from further research, these coins (weight about 1/2 oz or 18 grams each) was recently minted in the lated 19th century to honor King Ham Nghi of the Nguyen's Dynasty. Due to the fact that "gold coins" were always very rare therefore it's extremely difficulty for anyone to find such a catch!

So we're thinkin' it's these? http://www.vietscape...h_thai_coin.jpg
(From: http://www.vietscape.../hue/kings.html )

[bucketball]

Pattie:

You are right; from further research, these coins (weight about 1/2 oz or 18 grams each) was recently minted in the lated 19th century to honor King Ham Nghi of the Nguyen's Dynasty. Due to the fact that "gold coins" were always very rare therefore it's extremely difficulty for anyone to find such a catch!

From a numismatic standpoint related to Vietnamese coinage, anything from the last imperial reign [Bao Dai (1926-1945)] and before are categorically considered or labeled as ancient.
Even though the use of precious metal for hoarding were recorded to be in use in Vietnam since early written history [Chinese]; coinage of Vietnamse did not start until independence in 968 under Emperor Dinh, and the earliest known coinage issued in precious metal were found during the Nguyen Dynasty [1802-1945].

http://www.tinvieton.../2007/8/160237/


The images of these coins are quite poor, creating unnecessary confusion. The relegation of the coins to Emperor Ham Nghi cannot be verified from these images. Some village elder who "could" read Chinese said that the characters read "Ham Nghi Thong Bao". The fact that no coins of gold or silver were ever found under Ham Nghi short reign make it highly improbable that these could be Ham Nghi's coin. If so, this is an astonishing and ground breaking find. Gold coins, due to intrinsic values and relative “modernity” are usually passed on hand-to-hand. Stray finds are, indeed, highly unusual.
At any rate, this is not a case of a coin being minted in honor of any king. Mint is machine struck, only applicable to modern coin. These are cast (melted metal) coins. Ham Nghi himself is already a figure of late 19th century. There were only 2 short reigns from 2 emperors right after him before the dawn of 20th century. They were kept on a "short leash", so to speak, and casting a coin to honor a rebel king would land them in hot water. They have enough tough time just to keep a balancing act on their own precarious thrones, until one of them (Emperor Thanh Thai) was also sent into exile.
My assessment is that these are probably coins belonging to either Minh Mang (1820-1840), Thieu Tri (1841-1847), or Tu Duc (1847-1883) era. Emperor Ham Nghi had a very short time to rule before confrontation broke out with the French; he subsequently fled to hinterland and continued to fight until betrayed, captured, and sent to exile. During his short reign, he barely had enough time to issue copper/bronze coins for general public use.
Until a better image of these coins show up, I speculate that the assignment to "Ham Nghi" could be a mistake and that these coins could be from his predecessors (Minh Mang, Thieu Tri, or Tu Duc)

Edited by bucketball, 14 August 2007 - 07:15 PM.

[ebacson]

So we're thinkin' it's these? http://www.vietscape...h_thai_coin.jpg
(From: http://www.vietscape.../hue/kings.html )

http://ebacson.sky.vn

[akhissar]

they dont look ancient at all

[SNK_1408]

Hi Folks:



These are few of the ancient gold coins found by Vietnamese farmers in Quang Binh (Central, VN)!

We couldn't identify which period of history or its origin since gold coins or any gold artifacts have always been extremely rare to be found or excavated in Vietnam. Could anyone here recognize or able to identify these gold coins?

They looked more modern to me, more like 19th century coins.

here are some ancient gold coins looks.

Chinese


Roman/Greek


Don't know this


And here is how these old coins are made:
http://www-scf.usc.e.../production.htm

It's very asian civilizations to use Gold coins, most old coins that found from China & Korea are mostly copper coins.

Edited by SNK_1408, 23 July 2008 - 11:34 PM.