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China-Empire Coins

China' s monetary history is one of the oldest and most fascinating in the world. During the imperial period, China experienced numerous changes in its monetary system, reflecting the political and economic evolution of the country.

Coins in Imperial China

For much of China's imperial history, the primary currency was the sapeca, a round bronze coin with a square hole in the center. These coins were used from the Zhou dynasty (1046-256 BC) until the end of the Qing dynasty in 1911. In the 19th century, the silver tael was introduced as the main monetary unit for international trade, although it was never minted as an official coin.

Numismatic milestones

One of the most significant milestones in Chinese numismatics was the introduction of paper money during the Song dynasty (960-1279 AD), becoming the first country in the world to use banknotes. Another important event was the monetary reform of 1889 during the Qing dynasty, which standardized the minting of silver and copper coins, marking the beginning of the modernization of the Chinese monetary system.

If you are a passionate collector, this catalog offers the possibility to create your own personal collection. You can add your coins and generate a free PDF catalog from a complete database and our management tools. In addition, once registered, you will have the opportunity to exchange coins with other collectors around the world easily and free of charge.

📢 China-Empire is a country that does not exist today. It is now part of the China-Peoples Republic coins.

The most valuable coins

The most valuable China-Empire coins and sought after by collectors according to Foronum statistics are the following:

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The valuation of these coins has been achieved through a meticulous algorithm that considers the current market, taking into account aspects such as material, weight, diameter, edge, year of mintage, mint of manufacture and the number of coins produced. Coins with limited mintages and in good condition are usually among the most valuable.

Swapping available Note the coins labelled with this message, it means that there are collectors who have that coin and are willing to make a swap. Visit their collection from their personal page.

Coin Catalog

1 cash (Kang Xi Tong bao)

FO#18267
Year: 1662-22
Weight: 5,50 g
Composition: Bronze
Diameter: 28,00 mm
Edge:

1 cash (Guang Xu Tong Bao)

FO#18266
Price: 60,00€
Year: 1875-08
Weight: 3,00 g
Composition: Bronze
Diameter: 24,00 mm
Edge:

1 cash (Dao Guang Tong Bao)

FO#16267
Year: 1821-50
Weight: 3,60 g
Composition: Brass
Diameter: 24,00 mm
Edge: Smooth

10 cash (Xuantong)

FO#22905 KM#20Y
Year: 1909
Weight: 7,40 g
Composition: Copper
Diameter: 28,20 mm
Edge: Smooth

50 cents (Chihli)

FO#17776 KM#64.1
Year: 1897
Weight: 13,30 g
Composition: Silver (0,860)
Diameter: 32,85 mm
Edge: Ribbed

10 cash (Hupeh)

FO#22340 KM#122
Year: 1902
Weight: 7,18 g
Composition: Copper
Diameter: 28,04 mm
Edge: Smooth

10 cash

FO#17451 KM#135
Price: 2,00€
Year: 1902-1905
Weight: 7,60 g
Composition: Copper
Diameter: 28,20 mm
Edge: Smooth

1 cent

FO#17433 KM#192
Price: 1.000.000,00€
Year: 1900
Weight: 7,30 g
Composition: Copper
Diameter: 27,80 mm
Edge: Smooth

10 cash

FO#17883 KM#193Y
Price: 40,00€
Year: 1900
Weight: 8,00 g
Composition: Copper
Diameter: 27,80 mm
Edge: Smooth

1 cash

FO#17882 KM#387.1
Price: 2,36€ - 8,25€
Year: 1736
Weight: 4,20 g
Composition: Bronze
Diameter: 22,00 mm
Edge: Smooth

1 cash (Ch'ien Lung T'ung Pao)

FO#17881 KM#389
Price: 2,46€
Year: 1736
Weight: 25,00 g
Composition: Brass
Diameter:
Edge:

1 cash (Boo-Ciowan)

FO#19866 KM#440
Price: 2,00€
Year: 1796
Weight: 4,60 g
Composition: Brass
Diameter: 24,00 mm
Edge: Smooth

Other resources to find coins and banknotes of China-Empire

Can't find what you are looking for? Take a look at our coin finder and speed up your searches within the collections of all collectors, or if you prefer you can search directly in the list of coin collectors and access their profile to see their collections.