At long last there is a collector's guide that provides a comprehensive overview of the complex, but fascinating world of Chinese cash coins. Covering more than 3,000 years of numismatic history, this long-awaited volume lists, illustrates and values in multiple condition grades a variety of monetary forms issued in Imperial China. Author David Jen is one of the leading experts in Chinese currency and is well respected in both the United States and Asia. His new work is by far the most complete volume available on the topic, offering history and production details for thousands of issues. In addition, the book includes many newly discovered varieties not listed in any other reference source.

Eduard Kann (1880-1962) was more than just a coin collector. He was top adviser the Chinese Government, who ran the Chinese monetary system for decades. Kann came to China in 1901 and managed to get out of China just as Mao took over in 1949. He then lived in Hong Kong and Los Angeles. This catalog is a classic work essentially of his own coin collection, including coins he collected while working as a banker and as an official of the Chinese Government in Shanghai. Some of these coins are extremely rare and a few may not even exist any more, because the Chinese Government ordered all coins to be surrendered to the government to be melted down and made into bullion. Thus, any Chinese person who held on to these coins, did so in secret. Kann, as a non-Chinese, was one of the few that was allowed to keep his coins. When, after his death, his coin collection was sold in several auctions, they fetched millions of dollars. The New York Times for May 23, 1971, page D37, reports: Among the items listed to go on the block are 1200 lots from the finest collection of Chinese coins - the collection of Eduard Kann, a banker who lived in China for 47 years. During his long numismatic career, Mr. Kann compiled the Catalog of Chinese Coins which was published in 1953. This high quality reprint of the original 1953 book is based on one of the few copies of the original work still known to exist.