Appendix - Questionable Types, Related Types, and Fakes
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A1 - Rashidin 1283?
Arabic
Legend, Obv
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Arabic Legend,
Rev
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Dai #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Sayid Ghazi
Rashidin Khan
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Dhurb
Dar-As-Sultanat
Kucha 1283 [?]
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Very
Rare
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Not
Liste
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Not
Listed
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1864-
1865
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D32
(6-7)
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Not
Listed
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Not
Listed
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Du lists two varieties (one "very rare" and one "extremely rare") on which he
reads the date "1283." It is unclear from the illustration where the "3" might be,
and it seems likely that this is a mis-reading of an unclear 1281 type.
No 1282 coins have ever been documented.
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A2 - Yakub Beg Silver "Tenga"
Arabic Legend,
Obv
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Arabic Legend,
Rev
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Dai #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Khan
Abd-Al-Aziz
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Dhurb Kashghar
LaTif
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Not
Listed
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Not
Listed
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*
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1874-
1877
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Not
Listed
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Not
Listed
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269-
277
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D&J 273. Dated 1291. (visible on the reverse at 9 o'clock.) This photograph is
enlarged beyond the scale used on the rest of this website so that the date can be
read.
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A2a - Tenga of Khoqand
AR Tenga of Khudayar Khan of Khoqand dated 1283 AH. These coins served as the model for the
coinage of Yakub Beg. (photo enlarged)
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Type A3 - General Zuo Zong Tang, Kucha imitating Bao Shan
Chinese
Legend (obv)
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Chinese
Legend, (rev)
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Manchu
Legend
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Turki
Legend
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Du
Rarity
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Zhu
Rarity
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D&J
Rarity
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Approx.
Dates
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Dai #
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Zhu #
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D&J #
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Qian Long
Tong Bao
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Bao
Shan
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Not
Listed
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Not
Listed
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*
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1878
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Not Listed
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Not
Listed
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305
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Students and collectors of red cash long recognized Bao Shan as one of the mint names that was imitated
at Kucha according to the orders of Zuo Zong Tang in 1878. However, Du writes that all of the examples
previously considered as Kucha coins are actually original interior China (nei di) products that only
looked like copper because of deceptive patinas. Du further argues that the calligraphic style on those
pieces is too standard for the Kucha mint (Du p 8). The Zhus also did not include the Bao Shan type in
their work. For these reasons the Bao Shan type has not been included in the main catalogue. However,
a possible copper specimen is photographed below.
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D&J 305. 2.9 grams. When the patina was removed on a test area on the rim of this coin, the metal
showed pale red. This coin is certainly not made from the standard interior brass/bronze. It is also
unsually light-wieght. Perhaps this coin and other Bao Shan coins which have been considered as
Xinjiang products are actually contemporary counterfeits. Or maybe the Bao Shan mint used an alloy
with a higher proportion of copper.
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A4
This mysterious coin was said to be found in northern Xinjiang, near Jimsar. The script is unknown to me.
Click the image for an enlargement. 19.7 grams.
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A5 - Type 43, (Qianlong 9) Modern Counterfeit
This is the only counterfeit make of the Qianlong 9 I have seen, but I have seen many examples of it.
Script is wrong, patina is wrong. It could deceive a collector who hasn't seen many genuine pieces.
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A6 - Type 58, Guangxu Xin 10, Modern Counterfeit
I was surprised to find such a decent fake of such a common coin. The style of the Manchu is wrong and
the obverse characters are far too fuzzy for a genuine specimen. The patina is reasonably well done.
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A7 - Type 5, Qianlong Baoyi, Altered
This would be a unique and valuable piece (moon below the hole) if it were original. However, the moon
was added to a genuine normal Qianlong Yili coin with the intent to deceive collectors. The signs are
unmistakable: The "Long" character on the obverse was damaged by the addition of the moon and a fake
patina has been added around the moon to disguise the alteration.
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A8- Xianfeng Worth 500 Modern Counterfeit
Aside from the patina, this isn't such a bad fake, but it would never pass the intense scrutiny such a rare
and valuable piece should attract. Seems to be intended for tourists and novices. Obverse characters are
especially mushy. The photo is little out of scale
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A8- Yakub Beg Modern Counterfeits
Although some Chinese dealers have been fooled by the
first fake illustrated here, these 3 fakes are pretty easy
to spot for someone used to struck coins. They are the
only three varieties of fake Yakub Begs I have
encountered recently, but there are plenty of them out
there. Learning these three die pairs would be enough
to avoid most of the fakes.
The bottom two coins have obvious stylistic problems.
The top coin has a very recognizable mis-formed "Kh"
of "Khan." All of these fakes seem to have been made
by counterfeiters unfamiliar with the Arabic alphabet.
The word "Lateef" is also written incorrectly on at least
two. All three appear to be struck. Photos are enlarged.
Photos of fifteen genuine specimens can be seen for
comparison by clicking here.
Note: Recently I have seen some of these offered on
Ebay from China as genuine coins.
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A9- Tongzhi "broad water" variety Modern Counterfeit
This one could fool the unwary. The obverse is very mushy though (its not just the photo). The two holes
were probably added to change the sound the coin makes when dropped on a table. Chinese collectors
often use this sound to help determine genuineness, with fake coins producing a higher, clearer ring. The
holes give the coin the dull sound of an original. This is a rare and popular variety, but it is familiar only to
somewhat serious collectors, so this piece was probably made with the hope of deceiving knowledgeable
people.
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Various low quality modern counterfeits.
No one who has seen the real thing would be deceived by these.
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REFERENCE CATALOGUE OF
XINJIANG RED CASH
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The bulk of Yakub Beg's coinage was silver. Most if not all of these coins were
dated. However, on many examples the date is incomplete because the dies were
larger than the planchets, and the placement of date was irregular. For photos of
more Yakub Beg coins click here.
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If you find any errors or
have any suggestions,
please
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at
contact@xinjiangcoins.com
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