Identify Old Asian Coin

Hi,

I bought this just for fun on eBay recently. (It was very cheap.) The coin was listed as a Japanese Mon - date unknown, made of copper.

From what I'm seeing on Google Lens I think it's more likely Chinese or Vietnamese, and possibly quite old - 17th century or older. (But I haven't found anything with the same markings.) It's probably copper, but possibly bronze. (?)

I hope that there are forum members, coin collectors or Chinese readers, who can decipher some of the markings and help me to identify this coin.

Thanks in advance!

 

Thanks. I wonder if I can find a good reference source online to help narrow down the place and time.

 

Thanks! I'll check these out. The first link looks like a very good beginner's guide.

 

I wonder if the guys on Cointalk would like to mess around with it. That's our sister board.

 

Ahhh! I didn't know about Cointalk. I'll ask them. Thanks!

 

I found the illustration on the left in the first link you provided - for Qing dynasty coins. I'm pretty sure that the left and right ideograms on my coin are Tong and Bao (Circulating Treasure). If I can match the top and bottom ideograms that will give me more specific information about the period when it was made. So far, no luck. But the poor condition of the coin might make that difficult. Thanks again!

 

Hello!

These coins are one of my main areas of collecting

This is a Huangsong Tongbao type in regular script from Renzong of the Northern Song dynasty, made from 1039-1054. This would be Hartill#16.111 specifically, I believe. Here is a reference:
https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces45077.html

And here is the Hartill page for comparison as well:

 

Wow! That really is a match. Thank you! That's fascinating.