Chinese coins are truly fascinating. It is unfortunate that entrepreneurs (also known as crooks) in China have tarnished coin collecting by issuing mountains of counterfeits. Soon or later the Chinese government will grow up and figure out that anti-counterfeiting laws are good things.

In the early dollar system of the Chinese Empire, 10 cash made 1 cent, and 100 cents made 1 dollar. The cash coins from the early 1900s sport a dragon on one side with the inscription TAI CHING TI KUO COPPER COIN and a circle with Chinese characters on the other side.

The copper cash coins are low in value unless they are in very good shape, which is rare. They are seldom counterfeited. The silver dollar coins are heavily counterfeited. See this CoinQuest page for silver coins. Here is what the catalogs say about the copper cash coins, adjusted slightly to better reflect recent auction sale prices. If you have a nice-looking coin like this, it is best to seek out a knowledgeable collector or coin dealer for an in-person appraisal.

10 CASH, 28 mm diameter
worn: $5 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $15
well preserved: $40

20 CASH, 34 mm diameter
worn: $5 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $20
well preserved: $50

The values above are very approximate catalog values and are inflated (see our Important Terminology page for an explanation of catalog values). As is often the case on our CoinQuest forum, we have left out details of certain rare specimens that may have more value than we indicate. If you become interested in coin collecting, some detailed research at the library may help you discover small nuances in your coin that add to its value. The placement of a small 'dot' in the pattern may double the catalog value, for instance.