The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 16, April 22, 2007, Article 5

BOOK RECOMMENDATION: DAVID HARTILL'S CAST CHINESE COINS

Nick Leshkow writes: "I am trying to do some research on about two
dozen ancient Japanese and Chinese coins.  I would like to both
attribute and price the coins.  I need for the books to contain
photographs or drawings; and of course be written in English.  I
was hoping you could recommend appropriate books and where I might
buy or borrow them."

[I asked one of our resident experts for advice, which appears
below. -Editor]

Scott Semens writes: "Books to identify and price Chinese and Japanese
cash?  Two years ago I would have given you three or four titles, with
a paragraph each on strengths and weaknesses, but today there's a
simpler answer:  CAST CHINESE COINS by David Hartill, list price $50
but often discounted.  It's in English, has a finding list for
attribution, and a good rubbing (arguably better than a photo for
this series) for each entry.  There is a rarity scale with a rather
imperfect "conversion" into money.

"As with modern foreign coins, you are going to get only an approximate
market value from ANY catalog; settle for a ballpark idea.  Hartill
lists the commonest Japanese types in the same format, but you can find
more detail about anything you are likely to have in the Standard Catalog
of World Coins (Krause & Mishler), century editions, which include
reasonably accurate market prices as well.  There are levels in both
the Chinese and Japanese series unplumbed by these Western works, to
the point where mint and approximate date CAN be determined for many
pieces if one delves into specialized works, which are usually not in
English.  But this rarely affects market value, especially on casual
finds.  Stick with Hartill, and Krause-Mishler, both accessible works."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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