As we have referred to Chinese coins several times recently, I wanted to mention something I have done to mine in the C/S/B set.

I don't like the bicolour Chinese coins, which look pretty unauthentic with their black painted centre and brass trimmings (no real coin has ever looked like that). So I carefully scraped the black paint off both (the insert and the whole coin), leaving two very attractive, golden-looking Chinese pieces, which contrast well with the silver half dollar and the dark copper Mexican coin.

I then scrubbed both the Chinese coins with a wire brush, giving them an aged appearance and disguising some scratches on one. The result is much nicer than the original, and closer to the real thing.

Been there, done that...HOWEVER, I like the wire brushing idea, thanks for the tip!

peace, charlie

Interesting touch. I may have to try that also.

Good tip! I saw someone on a video (Scotty York maybe?) Using a C-S-B set with the naked brass Chinese coin, I liked the way it looked. What I'd really like to do is find a way to make the coins resemble the greenish, pitted look of real Chinese coins.

You might want to check with a certain coin craftsman who now has perfect "Chinese" coins minus the paint available only from him.

Here the Chinese shops sell real Chinese (i.e., made in China) coins at various sizes quite cheaply. There are magnetizable silver-looking ones and also some old-looking coins but the latter are rather thin and tinny. The local coin market sells authentically old Chinese coins with all the blue/green look, not at too high a price.

Yea, I have some real Chinese coins and use them for some effects. I guess what I meant to say was I'd like to make my Johnson brass coins and inserts resemble the real thing more, while still retaining their size, thickness and "fit" in the various gimmicks.