Chinese coins

Coins from China are often found in various locations around Australia.

While these Chinese coins are often found it is not clear what was their use. The usual assumption being they were used for gambling. For people intending to return to China these coins would have had some value despite being of no vaule in Australia. 

One feature of these coins is that they can often be very old as the cirulation of the coins of various periods and dynasties in China is very long. Another feature is that local musuems often have Japanese coins in their collection mistaken for Chinese coins.

“The money passed was in Chinese coin but I believe they often play for English money."

The Manaro Mercury, and Cooma and Bombala Advertiser, 6 March 1872, p.2.