After getting one, the first question is the authenticity of the coin. At present, there are many books on coin identification, most of which are about the methods and countermeasures of counterfeiting, but many identification methods have no great significance or have lost their functions with the improvement of counterfeiting technology.
The basic methods and principles of identifying ancient coins are: first, we must master the characteristics of each era and the individual characteristics of coins. Ancient money embodies the characteristics of the times when minting coins, and at the same time it has its own personality characteristics. By mastering these characteristics, we can know what era and what kind of coins it is, and distinguish real money from fake money according to these characteristics. The characteristics of ancient currency include Qian Wen and shape. Qian Wen is a font cast on ancient money, and the shape refers to the modeling structure, casting technology and material composition of ancient money. Understanding these characteristics of each era and each currency is the basic method to identify the authenticity and value of each era and each ancient currency. If a currency is found to be far from its characteristics of the times and individuals, we should pay special attention to its authenticity, and then identify it by other methods to determine its authenticity. Second. Distinguishing the fake rust pseudo color of counterfeit money by scientific methods. In the identification of ancient coins, it is a very important method to distinguish the authenticity of copper rust from that of copper color, because it is difficult to absolutely judge the authenticity of some counterfeit coins from the shape of words, and the method of identifying the color of copper rust is relatively simple. Third, be familiar with the basic characteristics of counterfeit money. To identify counterfeit money, we should not only understand the basic characteristics and individual characteristics of real money in each era, but also understand the basic characteristics of counterfeit money. The face of altered counterfeit money is uneven, the combined counterfeit money has different colors, and there are always traces around the carved words. The coins made by the sand turning method are slightly smaller and thinner than the real money. If we know the basic details and forgery methods of counterfeit money, we can find the forgery of counterfeit money by careful observation. Fourth, to master the knowledge related to the identification of ancient coins, we should understand the monetary theory, extensive historical knowledge, common sense of ancient coin casting, ancient philology and ancient laws and regulations. It is very necessary to identify ancient money. Fifth, understand the coins of neighboring countries such as North Korea, Vietnam and Japan. These countries have made coins in China and copied many coins from China. We should master the characteristics of their coins and avoid being confused with those of China.
In the past, the identification of coins was mainly analyzed by six words: text, quality, sound, color, spirit and taste. In Chinese, it refers to the flavor and style of coins, quality refers to the shape, technology and composition of coins, sound refers to the sound of coins, color refers to the rust and patina of coins, gas refers to the charm of coins, and taste refers to the smell of coins.
The flavor and style of characters and patterns refers to whether the characters and patterns of coins are smooth and comfortable, elegant and clumsy, and conform to the characteristics of the times. From the style of characters (patterns), it can be said that it is a difficult point to identify coins, because everyone has different views on appreciation, and the conclusion about a controversial coin may be far from each other, but in a big way, it can basically reach the understanding of * * *. For example, the characters of coins in the pre-Qin, Warring States and Qin Dynasties were all carved on molds by craftsmen with knives, and because there were no certain types of fonts, there were many versions, which were basically different. The five baht versions in Han dynasty are complicated and written in different ways. Non-experts can't tell the difference. Zhang Shuiping is too limited to talk nonsense. Wang Mang, an expert in making money in Han Dynasty, is famous for his smooth and elegant fonts and well-balanced layout. He is famous for six springs and ten cloths. He doesn't have a cargo cloth and a cargo spring, and his font is a hanging needle seal, which is more beautiful. During the period of the Three Kingdoms, the Jin Dynasty and the Southern and Northern Dynasties, due to the continuous war, coins were relatively scarce, and coins in the Cao and Wei Dynasties in the Three Kingdoms were generally free and smooth. Sun Wu's currency writing is more rounded and bold; Due to the different casting locations, coins in the Jin Dynasty have different writing styles, such as rich commodities, vigorous and dignified in the Han Dynasty, vigorous and natural in summer, proper opening and closing, and cool new springs with a certain density. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there were four baht for filial piety, five baht for decency and six baht for passing goods in Yong Guang. There are many beautiful springs in this period, which is the first to push all countries forever. Tang Kaiyuan Bao Tong was written by Ou Yangxun according to Old Tang Shu. There are eight characters, and the style is rigorous and dignified. This style has been throughout the Tang Dynasty. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Hanyuan, Yongping, Tianhan, Guangtian, Gande, Xiankang and Kaiyuan (played by Wang) Yonglong were either cast by Kaiyuan or crude. Others, such as Joo Won, inherited the calligraphy style of the Tang Dynasty (because the coins of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms are very complicated, most collectors can't see them, so the research is limited and the number is not much, so we can't elaborate. In the Song Dynasty, every emperor made an annual coin every time he changed yuan. Qian Wen's works are rich and varied, elegant or vulgar, clumsy or clever, with rigorous brushwork and excellent structure. Personally, this is the peak of Qian Wen's calligraphy development. After the Song Dynasty, the overall level of Qian Wen's calligraphy began to decline, and it was revived in the Jin Dynasty, represented by Yitai and Fuchang. In Yuan Dynasty, some regular scripts in Qian Wen were graceful and generous, but the overall level was not high, showing a downward trend. In Ming and Qing Dynasties, Qian Wen had few excellent works except Xianfeng Qian. Xianfeng Money is the last revival of Qian Wen's calligraphy in ancient Chinese coins. Every game of Qian Wen is colorful, or like a beautiful family or a beautiful family, savoring it carefully and having a long aftertaste.
Pattern recognition is mainly used to spend money, and the consumption pattern of each era has its own characteristics of the times, which is not the focus of this article, so I won't say it here.
Using the characters (patterns) of coins to identify coins, we should not only be familiar with the writing style of the same period, but also have certain calligraphy skills or appreciation ability. This may be a bit demanding for beginners, but you can rest assured that you can read more books, think more and ponder more. After a long time, you can be sure.
Note: The following article on identifying coins with rusty patina is taken from Mr. Zheng Jiaxiang's representative work. At present, many counterfeit coins in the workshop are copied from Mr. Zheng Jiaxiang's works and borrowed by Zhang. Because there have been many changes in the methods of counterfeiting, some methods are no longer applicable. Zhang dares to add some ideas in the middle.
Unearthed ancient coins have been corroded underground for a hundred years, some of them are green, some are red, green, yellow and white, and the spots are mottled, which is called "pit rust" in the coin industry. The ancient money handed down from generation to generation is sweaty due to long-term appreciation, and the money body is yellow-brown or brown. In order to obtain the surface effect of "pit-making" and "handed down from generation to generation", counterfeiters make old money in color. Common methods are as follows:
1. Green. Because all unearthed ancient coins have green rust, it is necessary to forge ancient coins and paint them with green rust. There are five ways to forge green rust:
(1) Bury counterfeit money in the ground and take it out in two or three years, which will be covered with green rust; (Zhang Sanshao's note: There are some high-end counterfeit products that have been buried for more than two or three years, maybe ten years, and then added with substances such as acid. Now they are covered with hard green rust, which is very destructive. I paid my tuition in a spring before. This kind of money rust is imperfect, and the color of green rust is tender and floating. )
(2) Forged coins are soaked in hydrochloric acid or acetic acid, then buried in the soil, and taken out after one and a half years, all of which are covered with green rust. Counterfeit money soaked in hydrochloric acid and peracetic acid will also produce green rust if it is placed in a dark and humid place. But this kind of green rust is on the floating surface and can't reach the bone. Compared with real money, green rust is brittle, easy to fall off, not hard green, only soil green, so hard green rust can not be forged. (Zhang Sanshao Note: This method is the most commonly used method to forge counterfeit money in this city at present. It's a low-grade fake. You can tell with a little attention. In addition, hard green rust can also be made now)
(3) Mix the green powder and glue, coat it on the money, add mud to dry it, and it will become soil-green rust. This kind of counterfeit money is most afraid of boiling water, because once it is boiled, the green rust will completely fall off; Note: it is of little significance to identify fake rust with boiling water now. With the development of science and technology, there are many glues that are not afraid of scalding water. )
(4) Rosin mixed with green powder and coated on counterfeit money becomes a kind of embroidery similar to hard green, which is not easy to distinguish at first glance. If it is rubbed by hot hands, or soaked in hot water, you can tell that it is forged by smelling rosin with your nose; (note: this method is not commonly used now)
(5) The green enamel painted with fake money is hard and looks like hard green embroidery after one and a half years, but its color is not as natural as the unearthed hard green and it is easy to peel off; (Zhang Sanshao's note: resin is used more now, and the drying time is not too long, but the effect is much better than paint. The identification method is to test the hardness with a knife or needle. )
2. Ancient coins unearthed in red also have red rust. There are four ways to forge red rust:
(1) Burning counterfeit money thoroughly and immersing it in cold water will lead to red rust; Soak it in hydrochloric acid or acetic acid, bury it in the ground, and take it out after one and a half years, and it will have a red and green rust color, which is quite like unearthed ancient money. However, this method can only be used for copper coins. If brass money is clear and transparent, it will not turn red even if it is calcined with fire.
(2) Red and green rust can also be produced by forging green rust by mixing red powder and glue as mentioned above, but its weakness is the same as forging green rust;
(3) Red-green mixed rosin coated on counterfeit money becomes red-green rust, and its weakness is the same as that mentioned above;
(4) Use red and green enamel to coat counterfeit money to become red and green rust. Its weaknesses are the same as those mentioned above. Note: At present, the first method is mostly used to make red rust, or resin, paint, etc. They are all applied to money, and most of them are semi-handed down. )
In short, red can't be independent, it must be matched with green or blue or handed down from generation to generation.
3. Blue rust, ancient coins unearthed are also red, green and blue. The means of counterfeiters are nothing more than the above three kinds of glue, rosin and enamel, but this kind of counterfeit money is rare. (Zhang Sanshao Note: Judging from the counterfeit money I have seen so far, there are not many red, green and blue counterfeit money. )
Handed down from generation to generation, some ancient coins are handed down from generation to generation, so most round coins have no red and green rust, only the surface of money is dark brown, which is called handed down from generation to generation. Some of them have been buried in the soil, but they have been unearthed for a long time. Most of the red and green rust have fallen off, and only a few places have some green or red. The amount of rust left is the time of playing and the pit type. If you play for a short time, rust will leave more. The rest has turned into dark brown copper, which has been called semi-handed down since ancient times. There are usually two ways to fake this color:
(1) The counterfeit money is calcined with fire, taken out and cooled to make the surface of the money black, and then wrapped in clothes. A year and a half later, the color is smooth and almost the same as real money. This kind occasionally produces red rust.
(2) Soak counterfeit money in hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid for a day or two, and it will turn black after being taken out, and then wrap it with a belt for a year and a half, and the color will gradually shine, just like money passed down from generation to generation in ancient times.
Note: Although the real handed down product is a very thin layer, it is difficult to remove it by boiling and scraping. The longer the coin circulates, the darker the color. Nowadays, many counterfeit money handed down from ancient times are mostly blackened on soot and then waxed. Money is like ink, and coins don't have this kind of patina. There is also a kind of counterfeit money, which is really rusty and stuck to fakes. This method was originally used to forge bronzes. Now it is said that a group of people who forged bronzes turned to ancient money. Although this kind of money looks hard and red, it feels unnatural as a whole. Moreover, because the rust is hard and difficult to process, and there is a gap between it and the money body, it is mostly made into pits, which are covered with loess or black garbage, of which black is forged and semi-handed down. It is currently on the market. Among them, I have seen dozens of red ones, such as Wanli Hui Dragon Pattern, Chongzhen Hui Wugong, Fuchang Yuanbao and so on. At first glance, there were faint green rust and erythema in ancient times, which were very open, but on closer inspection, you will find that money seems to be coated with oil or wax, which can be easily removed when cutting or picking with a knife. The biggest problem with this batch of money is that all money of different times, varieties and copper is a kind of patina. In fact, the real old pits are erythema and green rust, which are usually hard and difficult to remove. Except for the money treated with acid. One of the red and green colors of this batch of money is sticky and rusty, and the other is coated with resin or paint. I don't think this batch is well done, but some spring merchants I saw in the market recently bought this batch. I just want to remind you here. )
Although we have accumulated long-term experience, we should pay attention to the authenticity of ancient money, but there are two differences between fake money and real money. For example, the green color of real money, whether it is hard green or earth green, has been buried for decades or hundreds or even thousands of years. The hardness of hard green is very hard, the soil green is deep into the bone, and even some copper has melted (usually called deboning or thoroughly remoulding). Manufacturers of counterfeit money must not wait for decades or hundreds of years to sell them. If it is buried underground for two or three years at most, it will not become hard green or soil green. It's just that the surface of money is covered with a green rust similar to earth green. Once washed, it is easy to fall off, so it can be distinguished. So is red rust. Zhen Hong rust is not easy to fall off when it is active, and false red rust is easy to fall off when it is stagnant. (Zhang Sanshao's note: Today's counterfeiters are different from their predecessors. Hard green has been forged, and many fake rusts have passed the inspection, so personally, this method can only be applied to ordinary fakes, and high imitation is not applicable at all).
Shape refers to the modeling structure, casting technology and material composition of ancient coins. Coining money in different periods, either out of necessity or out of regulations, has formed some specific phenomena. For example, the sword coins of Qi were cast in high profile for protection, while the money in Song Dynasty was deep and shallow, so different coins had different shapes. Copper in ancient coins includes bronze, brass, red copper and white copper. Bronze belongs to Cu-Sn-Pb alloy, and its color is blue-white, yellowish, reddish or pink. Brass refers to copper-zinc alloy, and red copper has the highest copper content and is purplish red; White copper refers to copper-nickel alloy, but there are also some ancient coins that are white copper or silvery white, also called white copper coins, but actually contain no or little nickel. It is a kind of bronze, but there are many components of lead or tin, which causes the change of copper color (according to the historical data "Tiangong Wu Kai", in the Song Dynasty, arsenic white copper made of drugs such as arsenic and brass made of calamine were used in China, but the process was complicated and toxic, so it was estimated that it was only a luxury enjoyed by the rich at that time). Due to the different levels of scientific and technological development, mineral resources and coin metal ratios in different historical periods, Generally speaking, although the copper in Qian Yuan in the pre-Qin period was bronze, the color of copper was relatively red, close to that of copper. However, the copper color of knife cloth coins is mostly red, and the casting time of half-two and five-baht coins is very long, and the copper quality is different, so the specific varieties should be analyzed in detail; In the early days of Kaiyuan money, it was mostly bluish-white, while the copper color of coins in Southern Tang Dynasty was mostly yellow-white. Song money is blue or red, and the copper color is complex; The color of Liao Qian copper is crimson or purple; The copper color of yuan money is mostly dark red and light red, and temple money is also yellow (some people think it can be brass); Before Ming Jiajing, bronze was used to cast money, and after Ming Jiajing, brass was used more, which was related to mastering the refining technology of zinc. The bronze color of the Qing carving mother (Zuqian) is mainly gold, and the copper color is excellent, giving people a magnificent feeling; In the Qing Dynasty, Xinjiang used red copper to cast money, so it was called Xinjiang red money. Copper is wet and fine, and its color is purple.
When identifying whether a coin conforms to the shape at that time, we should not only look at the size, thickness and weight of the coin, but also carefully observe whether the wear of the outer ring and the back of the coin is normal and whether it is consistent with the coins of the same era. It is suggested that friends who are new to Quanhe should look at the back of coins more carefully, compare more and think more in the process of collecting coins. After a period of time, when one is in their hands, even if they don't look at Qian Wen, they can tell the approximate casting age from the back. Just like someone you know, you can recognize who he is from behind. Coin casting technology is also an important aspect of coin identification. In the pre-Qin period, clay models were used for coins, such as shrugging empty cloth, qi broadsword and Yan knife. Stone models, such as Anyang cloth; Copper molds, such as Chu ant nose money, often have a lot of copper at the door and edge of the pre-Qin knife cloth. Because they have not been polished, they are in a natural state (Xiao Zhang has lived in Jiangnan for a long time, so he rarely sees the pre-Qin dynasty and knows little about it, so he can't elaborate. Please forgive me). From the Qin Dynasty to the early Western Han Dynasty, the casting methods and techniques of the pre-Qin Dynasty were mainly used, but the technology of casting money was further developed. At first, Fan Shi was the most widely used. In the later period, copper molds were used to make coins. Since the Han Dynasty, coins need further processing, mainly polishing (chiseling) the money edges and copper coins flowing through. In the middle and late Western Han Dynasty, clay pottery dominated. During Wang Mang's period, he was known as the first master of coinage, combining the skills of coinage in Qin and Han Dynasties with exquisite craftsmanship. The technology is still mainly copper model and clay pottery model, and stone model is rarely used. From the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Southern and Northern Dynasties, clay models were mainly used to cast money. From the Sui Dynasty to the Five Dynasties, it was a controversial period. Some experts speculate that there was a process of turning sand into money in Sui Dynasty, but there is no corresponding physical evidence. According to the limited materials and objects at hand, I personally think that Zhu Fan and Fansha existed in this period, which lasted until the end of the Northern Song Dynasty. According to historical records, the Song Dynasty adopted the craft of casting money from mother money. This process has been used to this day.
The method of distinguishing the authenticity of coins by sound has a long history. Real money has been minted for a long time, and the anger is gone. When struck, the sound is low and the reverberation time is short, while the newly minted coin has a crisp and loud sound and a long reverberation time. Now this method is meaningless to deal with some fakes. The voices of these fakes have completely passed the test. It is said that some impurities were added during casting. Moreover, due to different preservation environments, ancient coins may be the same coin with completely different sounds. However, this method is particularly effective in dealing with counterfeit money made by gluing and splicing, and in repairing the damaged money. As long as these two kinds of money are gently dropped on the table or tapped with metal, they will make a broken sound, without the metal sound of normal money. Friends of all friends can try to compare themselves. You can also use this method to check whether the bone of a coin is intact. Be careful when you knock it on the table, so as not to hurt a perfect coin.
Taste discrimination is also an important method to identify ancient coins. Ancient coins have been buried in the soil for a long time. If you smell them carefully, they will smell of earth. Coins made of pigments and other chemical materials have a strange smell. These special smells will be more obvious if they are boiled in water and then smelled. Pseudorust grows after soaking in sulfuric acid and acetic acid. Loose and easy to fall off, often leaving the taste of acidic liquid. You can smell it carefully when you buy money.
I have finished writing the basic method of identifying coins. Xiao Zhang has a limited level. I hope the article can help you a little, which is a great comfort to me. At last, I talked with my new friend about two personal experiences: reading more, thinking more and buying less. Looking more refers to buying some coins that come straight to the point, playing more at ordinary times, and not buying them all at once and putting them on the shelf. Thinking more refers to two aspects. One is to think more carefully when looking at money at ordinary times, find out the essence of real money, and ponder the beauty of rust and calligraphy of coins; Second, when buying coins, don't consider eating elixir and picking up cheap money. You should consider the authenticity of this coin and make a comprehensive judgment from the shape, character, rust color and price of the coin. If you find any doubt, you would rather give up than take risks. Buying less means buying as little high-value medium and high-grade coins as possible to avoid being cheated (except those sold by trusted friends). I once called it "six-character mantra". At the same time, I hope all my friends can listen to other people's opinions more. First of all, you should listen to his reasons, not the right or wrong of this opinion, and then find out the rebuttal. This will turn the perceptual knowledge of a coin into rational knowledge, which is not only fun, but also can improve your level. But when listening to other people's opinions, don't be influenced by other people's opinions, and don't treat real money as fake money, thus missing good money. Something happened here. One day, a father and son came to the antique market. Judging from the situation at that time, the father accompanied his son to buy coins (the child probably looked like a junior high school student). He was full of lofty sentiments, holding Mr. Hua Guangpu in his masterpiece, and went to the market to "collect money by points". For the first time, he spent 300 yuan to buy one for Wenxin and one for Chang 'an. The next day, the momentum was even stronger (probably because I thought I made a lot of money on the first day). The whole family went to the market and spent 1000 yuan to buy three-hole cloth. A friend and I couldn't stand it at that time. When he was out of the stall, we told him secretly that these things were all new and fake, so you couldn't buy them. Now we will return them, and we will lose some money. We have nothing to say, so we have to walk away bored. Some time later, I heard that I bought several thousand yuan, saying that I was going to sell it in Shanghai. The result can be imagined. Before long, the man disappeared. Up to now, I have never seen this family in the antique market.
I hope I can solve your problem.