Lot 339: Chinese. 10 Chinese Cash Coins.

N/A. (N/A). These were all sourced from Ballarat, they don't look to have been buried still retaining some original patina. The Chinese coins were found by the vendor many years ago in Ballarat. He was called to a small miner's cottage just off Main Road (called Plank Road in the mid 19th century). He purchased a mid 19th century pine chest of drawers, that he later restored and still has to this day. During restoration, he found a secret compartment behind a drawer and in that compartment was a tin containing these Chinese coins. The smallest one towards the middle is chipped along one edge. The coin third from the right looks a bit pitted, this may have been buried? The rest have some discolouration and minor marks. These would have been used in the Ballarat goldfields era, so 1850s-1860s, however, these could actually date somewhat earlier to that? These were stuck to packing tape, which was then taped back onto itself effectively encapsulating these coins as they are now. Estimate: $30-50