VIETNAM
    For the first 1000 years Vietnamese coins followed Chinese models.  Many were frank imitations of Chinese coins down to the actual year titles.  A feature of this series is the late 18th-19th century practice of making lightweight counterfeits of old Vietnamese and any kind of Chinese year titles for use across the border in China.  The older coins are mostly "normal" size.
    Early in 2007 nice and genuine Vietnamese coins became apparent in the market.  The new batch started appearing in 2004 maybe, and now us dealers have some quantity from multiple sources.  Past experience informs me that a "normal" sequence for these flows of coins into the market is that they do the bell-curve-skewed-to-the-right form.  That is to say that it gets better and better, then tapers off and dies more abruptly than it built.  At the end is junk and some fakes.  Get em while they're here.

VIETNAM, Anterior Le Dynasty, 980-1010 AD, Thien Phuc Tran Bao, 984-989 AD, N-39A, T3, Le top rev., VG $80.00
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VIETNAM, Anterior Le Dynasty, 980-1010 AD, Thien Phuc Tran Bao, 984-989 AD, N-39A, T3, Le top rev., aF $92.00
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VIETNAM, TRAN Dynasty, 1225-1400, Nguyen Phong Thong Bao, 1251-58, B13.2, N-31d, T-nl, seal 24mm, aVF $62.00 sold 9/14/2007
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VIETNAM, ANTI-MING WAR, 1417-28, Tien Khanh Thong Bao, 1426-28, B28.6, N-44, moon top rev., made by anti-Ming Le Loi for puppet king Hi Ong for tribute to Ming, VG $55.00
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VIETNAM, LATER LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Thuan Thien Nguyen Bao, 1428-33, B29.1, slipped mould error both sides, VF $65.00
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VIETNAM, LATER LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Thuan Thien Nguyen Bao, 1428-33, B29.1, seal script, F $21.00
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VIETNAM, LATER LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Dai Bao Thong Bao, 1440-43, B31, N-20, T-53, 24mm, F $35.00
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VIETNAM, LATER LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Thai Hoa Thong Bao, 1443-54, B32, N-11, T-261, 24mm, VF $21.00
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VIETNAM, LATER LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Thien Hung Thong Bao, 1459-60, B34.1, N-46, 24mm, VF $41.00
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VIETNAM, LATER LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Thien Hung Thong Bao, 1459-60, B34.1, N-306, VF $28.00
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276-277. VIETNAM, RESTORED LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Canh Thong Thong Bao, 1498-1505, B-37.1, N-247, 24mm VF+ $51.00
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VIETNAM, LATER LE rebel, Phat Phap Tang Bao, 1517, B43.1, N-137, F $36.00 sold 9/14/2007
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VIETNAM, LATER LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Doan Khanh Thong Bao, 1505-09, B38.1, 4.5g, XF $28.00
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VIETNAM, LATER LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Doan Khanh Thong Bao, 1505-09, B38.5, 9g (double weight), VF $124.00
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VIETNAM, MAC Dynasty, 1527-92, Minh Duc Thong Bao, 1527-29, B45.2, N-126, F $45.00 sold 9/14/2007
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277-313. VIETNAM, MAC refugees at Cao Bang, 1592-1677, An Phap Nguyen Bao, 1414-28, B52.2v, N-103E, 22.8mm, some kind of "copy," but not the normal small kind, cleaned VG $20.00
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VIETNAM, RESTORED LE Dynasty, 1428-1527, Nguyen Hoa Thong Bao, 1533-48, B58.1, N-25c, T-64, square top Bao 23mm, aF $21.00 sold 12/18/2009
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VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, Vinh Thinh Thong Bao, 1605-1719, B66.1, K45, slipped mould error rev., VF $75.00
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277-314. VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, Canh Hung Thong Bao, 1740-87, B68.42, K53.1v, seal script, VG $32.00
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VIETNAM, TAYSON Dynasty, 1788-1802, Thai Duc Thong Bao, 1777-92, K39.1, B91.1, Van Tue rev., aVF $31.00
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VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, 1573-1788, Vinh Thinh Thong Bao, 1706-1719, B66.2, K47, Ti L VF $56.25
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VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, 1573-1788, Canh Hung Thong Bao, 1740-87, B68.56, K109, 1741, cyclic date character bottom rev., G $45.00
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VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, 1573-1788, Chieu Thong Thong Bao, 1787-89, silver alloy, B80.13, K123v, C31.3av, N-176a, Son R (Sontay), F $160.00 sold 9/14/2007
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VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, 1573-1788, Chieu Thong Thong Bao, 1787-89, silver(y) alloy, B80.9, Chinh bottom rev., open head Thong, VF $63.00
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274-262. VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, 1573-1788, Chieu Thong Thong Bao, 1787-89, silver(y) alloy, B80.14, K122, C31.3, Son bottom rev. (Sontay), VF $55.00
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VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, 1573-1788, Chieu Thong Thong Bao, 1787-89, silver(y) alloy, B80.14, K122, C31.3, Son bottom rev. (Sontay), F $46.25
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VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, 1573-1788, Chieu Thong Thong Bao, 1787-89, silver(y) alloy, B80.15, Trung bottom, F $53.00
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276-293. VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, 1573-1788, Chieu Thong Thong Bao, 1787-89, silver(y) alloy, B80.15, Trung bottom, aF $36.00
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VIETNAM, LE Dynasty in North, 1573-1788, Chieu Thong Thong Bao, 1787-89, silver(y) alloy, B80.19, K121, C31.2, Thai bottom rev., crusty F $103.00
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VIETNAM, NGUYEN Dynasty in south, 1558-1778, Thai Binh Thong Bao, 1725-38, 22mm zinc, B83.13, N-52, square head Thong, casting flaw, F $13.00
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276-304. VIETNAM, TAYSON Dynasty, 1773-1802, Canh Thinh Thong Bao, 1792-1801, B95.7v, obv. repeated upside down rev., 20mm, to speak of official status in a rebel zone is oxymoronic, is it not?, F/aF $65.00
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274-275. VIETNAM, NGUYEN rebel Khoi, 1831-34, Nguyen Long Thong Bao, 1832-33, B113.2v, K251, double rim rev., F/G $75.00 sold 2/25/2010
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VIETNAM, TAYSON Dynasty, 1788-1802, Canh Thinh Thong Bao, 1792-1801, C-nl, double obv., 25mm, small split on rim, aF $65.00
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277-325. VIETNAM, Canh Long Thong Bao, 1789, B98.2, C34.1, An Nam horizontally, cast to pay Chinese troops supporting deposed Chieu Thong, F+ $150.00
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VIETNAM, Canh Long Thong Bao, 1789, C34.1, An Nam horizontally, made during Chinese invasion, very rare, 2 pieces available VG/F @ $150.00 each
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277-321. VIETNAM, Quang Trung Thong Bao, 1788-92, B93.30v, K141.3v, in-pointing crescents top & bottom rev., VG $36.00
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276-313. VIETNAM, unofficial, rims only without legend both sides, unless, that is, you want to think that there is a tiny Cong on one side, tipped hole, tiny sand hole, aF $21.00
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VNS1a) VIETNAM, stack of sea salvaged cash from an Indonesian shipwreck.  They seem to be most or all Minh Mang (1820-42) zinc coins.  Stacks are ~30-40mm tall,  encrusted, $30.00
VNS1a) similar, double stack, $55.00
Picture shows samples, not necessarily what you'll get.  Click for enlargement.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

VIETNAM, Minh Mang Thong Bao, 1820-41, 60 van, B142, K-nl, 8 character poem rev.: Quoc Thai Dan An Phong Dieu Vu Thuan (someone translate it for me?), VF $195.00 sold 1/15/2009
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VIETNAM, NGUYEN Dynasty, 1802-1945, Tu Duc Thong Bao, 1848-83, zinc phan, B103.11, K-nl?, C-nl?,  blank rev., 23mm, VG $16.00
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VIETNAM, NGUYEN Dynasty, 1802-1945, Dong Khanh Thong Bao, 1885-88, B106.2, K301, 27mm, 4.5g, 2-dot closed head Thong, VF $66.00 sold 4/21/2009
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VIETNAM, anonymous, late 19-early 20th c., 5 lang silver bar, MA-4540v, assay stamps on sides, no location named, 187.6g, VF $225.00 sold 9/24/2009
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VIETNAM, anonymous, late 19-early 20th c., 10 lang silver bar, MA-4540v, assay stamps on sides, no location named, 377g, VF $200.00 sold
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VIETNAM, UNCERTAIN, Chinh Long Nguyen Bao, B117.1, Barker discusses a possible 12th c. attribution but doubts it, this coin is 22mm, 2.7g, seems of similar fabric to Mac in Cao Bang, VF $35.00
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VIETNAM, Unofficial, Thien Hi Thong Bao, N-47B, S-479 (Chinese), 17th c.?, seal script, 24mm, in the Chinese context this was considered a rare coin worth $100+, at this time, however, it is generally agreed that it is Vietnamese, aF $75.00 sold
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VIETNAM, Unofficial, Minh Thong Dinh Bao, B-nl, N-120, 17th c.?,  24mm, aVF $27.00
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VIETNAM, Unofficial, Tri Thanh Nguyen Bao, 1414-28, N-129, T-45, relaxed orthodox script, 24mm, VG $22.00
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VIETNAM, Unofficial, Huyen Tho Bao Bao, prob. 15th c., N-61, S-581, 24mm, F $70.00
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274-282. VIETNAM, Unofficial, Thai Binh Thong Bao, looks like ordinary N. Song Chinese coin except for the 2 dots top rev., 24mm, heavy green patina, VG $45.00
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VIETNAM, Unofficial, Tong Nguyen Thong Bao, N-116, 17th c.?,  24mm, aVF $24.00
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VIETNAM, Unofficial, Vinh Nhac Thong Bao, N-88, slipped mould error obv., F $39.00
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