Honan Province 500 Cash

Republic of China (Honan Province) · Circa 1920s (Republic Year 9-15 / 1920-1926)

A large Chinese provincial copper coin featuring crossed flags on one side and a wreath with floral motifs on the other, showing significant verdigris and environmental toning.

Country: Republic of China (Honan Province)
Year: Circa 1920s (Republic Year 9-15 / 1920-1926)
Denomination: 500 Cash
Metal: Copper

This report is AI-generated and can be wrong. Always verify grade, authenticity, and value with a qualified dealer or certified grading service before buying, selling, or insuring.

Identified August 23, 2026More republic of china (honan province) coins →

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Overview

A large Chinese provincial copper coin featuring crossed flags on one side and a wreath with floral motifs on the other, showing significant verdigris and environmental toning.

Historical significance

Issued during the Warlord Era of the Republic of China, when various provinces minted their own large-denomination copper coins to finance military operations and ease severe fractional currency shortages.

Obverse (front)

Crossed flags of the Republic of China (Five-Colored Flag and the 18-star Iron Blood Flag), surrounded by the legend 'HO-NAN' at the top and '500 CASH' at the bottom, flanked by floral sprays.

Reverse (back)

Central wreath enclosing a floral emblem (plum blossom), surrounded by Chinese characters reading 'Republic of China' (Zhonghua Minguo) and the denomination 'Five Hundred Copper Coin' (Wu Bai Tong Yuan), with small flower ornaments on the sides.

Estimated value

$30-$100 depending on grade and amount of verdigris corrosion

What drives this coin's value

Overall state of preservation, presence of active bronze disease/verdigris, strike sharpness, and specific die varieties

Grade assessment

Fine to Very Fine details, affected by heavy green environmental corrosion (verdigris)

Mintage & rarity

Scarce to Rare depending on the specific year and variety, as large numbers were melted down or lost

Authenticity & counterfeit red flags

Watch for modern cast counterfeits which often lack sharp detail, have porous surfaces, or incorrect weight and dimensions compared to genuine machine-struck or provincial mint issues.

Notable varieties & errors

Various minor differences in flag angle, star count on the flag, wreath details, and character spacing minted across different years of the Honan provincial mint series.

Similar coins

Other Chinese provincial 500 cash and 200 cash coins from provinces like Szechuan, Honan, Hunan, and Kwangtung featuring crossed flags

Care & preservation

Store in a stable, low-humidity environment to prevent further corrosion. Do not attempt to clean or remove the green verdigris yourself, as this can permanently damage the surfaces and destroy collector value.