DescriptionWhile in both China and Vietnam in the 18th and 19th centuries counterfeiting was a capital offense, in Vietnam there was toleration of the copying of Chinese types. In the rare times of peace Vietnamese would cross the border to spend their counterfeit coins in Guangdong, where they were accepted as metal. In times and places of war, Well, whatever worked.Vietnam has rarely been fully united as a country. Unlike the Koreans, who always formally accepted Chinese suzerainty, the Vietnamese never accepted that status. We could say that the country has been at war with China for the last 2000 years. Still, as we all know, a lot of Chinese cultural influence, including the way they structured their economy and the kinds of coins they made. My main reference for Vietnamese cast coins: The Historical Cash Coins of Viet Nam, by Allan Barker. Supplementary reference: A Working Aid for Collectors of Annamese Coins, by John A. Novak.
