Mr. Tsang from Yuen Long demolished his ancestral home: 12 Yuan Datou silver coins found under the floorboards became a reality.
Because of their long history, village houses in Yuen Long, Kam Tin, and San Tin occasionally reveal old items hidden within their structures during renovation. Mr. Tsang's case is one such example.
Mr. Tsang, 40, is an indigenous resident of Yuen Long and works in the hardware and building materials business. When his ancestral home was being demolished to rebuild a small house (ding uk), workers found a cloth bag wrapped in oil paper in the gap between the wooden floor and the concrete on the second floor. Upon opening it, they discovered twelve severely oxidized but intact silver coins.
"My grandfather built this house in the 1950s. These might be his emergency funds hidden away," Mr. Tsang speculated. He himself had no knowledge of ancient coins, so through a friend's introduction, he found Gold & Coin Appraisal.
Twelve Coins Appraised Individually
Due to being long-term sandwiched in the floor gap, humidity had a significant impact, and some silver coins had a thicker layer of black oxidation on their surface. After carefully cleaning the surface dirt with a soft brush, each coin was examined:
- Republic of China Year 3 (1914) ×8: All common type, condition ranging from F12 to VF30
- Republic of China Year 9 (1920) ×2: Coarse hair type, condition VF20
- Republic of China Year 10 (1921) ×2: Common type, condition F15-VF20
All twelve coins passed the weight and sound tests – weight range 26.5-26.9 grams, clear silver tone, no counterfeits suspected. Considering the preservation environment, although the toning on this batch was not aesthetically pleasing, it was entirely natural environmental toning and did not affect the judgment of authenticity.
Batch Quotation
Batch quotation for the twelve mixed coins:
- Republic of China Year 3 (1914) VF+ grade ×3: HK$4,200 each = HK$12,600
- Republic of China Year 3 (1914) F-VF grade ×5: HK$2,800 each = HK$14,000
- Republic of China Year 9 (1920) ×2: HK$3,500 each = HK$7,000
- Republic of China Year 10 (1921) ×2: HK$2,600 each = HK$5,200
- Total: HK$38,800
Mr. Tsang initially thought they would be worth a few thousand dollars at most, so he was quite happy to hear the appraisal. "It covered a portion of the demolition costs." The deal was made on the spot.
Found old silver coins during house demolition or renovation? Don't just throw them away. WhatsApp 98342057 for a free appraisal and immediate cash purchase from Gold & Coin Appraisal.