China (Taiwan) Old Man Dollar (Fakes are possible) 1838 to 1850

These are fascinating old coins from Taiwan. Shou, the god of longevity, appears on the front of the coin, and a special vase or cauldron on the reverse. They were originally struck to pay military people, but their high silver content, upwards of 98 percent, made them popular for all trade. You can sometimes find specimens with the edge shaved off, as stealing silver from coins was widespread in those days.

If you think you have a genuine piece, it is very valuable. Consult a professional and NEVER clean your coin. We provide general guidance on this page.

There are at least four major variations. We have a large graphic at the bottom of this page with side-by-side pictures.

• ORIGINAL: These weigh between 23 and 26 grams and are the most valuable. They should be authenticated, graded, and encapsulated by a recognized third-party service such as PCGS, ICG, NGC, or ANACS (do not use other services).
  
• FANTASY: Coins produced later, during he early 1900s, mimic the original pieces, but have patterns with higher relief. Some fantasy pieces have basically no relief and look like line drawings.
  
• HEAVY CHOPS: Chop marks are stamped into the coins to document purity. Some are official chops made at the mint. Most are made by individual merchants, who use their private marks to say 'this coin is good in my book.'
  
• MODERN REPLICA: As with most valuable coins, you can find modern-day replicas of the original. They are novelty items.
  

Very, very approximately:

ORIGINAL
worn: $300 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $4500
well preserved: $12000

FANTASY
worn: $100 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $1000
well preserved: $3000

HEAVY CHOPS
worn: $200 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $2000
well preserved: $6000

MODERN REPLICA
worn: $2 US dollars approximate catalog value
average circulated: $5
well preserved: $15


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