Cast coinage refers to coins made by pouring melted metal into a mold or cast. It has been used for both circulation coins (in ancient china, Greece, and Rome) and for making cheap forgeries. The method differs from the current method of modern coin-making, which is done by stamping coins out of a blank metal sheet. They usually make rare, old coins using this method to deceive coin collectors into thinking these counterfeits are real.
To detect these coins, look at the edge and look for a seam where the two halves of the mold were joined. Also, look for lack of detail, super-smooth surfaces, and way too much luster, as counterfeiters often over-polish their dies and coins, causing all three of these to occur.
Cash coin
Chinese cash coins are the most famous example of cast coinage, and were issued for centuries predominantly in copper or bronze. Similar coins were issued in Japan and Korea over the same period. Cast silver coins are considerably rarer, and cast gold coins even more so.
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