Japan Type Set - in Progress

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by Dennow, Feb 5, 2018.

  1. Dennow

    Dennow Member

    Greetings, all! My first post at Cointalk. It’s great to be among fellow Obsessive Compulsive enthusiasts!
    I’ve been living off and on in Japan for about 13 years now, and only recently obtained on eBay a Japan type set album in remarkable condition, published around 1973 by Toho Planning. This has inspired me over the last six months to comb through local coin shops, regional coin shows, eBay and established dealers to get as much done a I could before having to, ugh, wait to find those tough pieces. My goal was to put the set together in Brilliant Uncirculated condition...raw for most of the 1912-1972 run, and crack outs for Meiji (1870-1912) and early Taisho (1912-1926). I’ve got 10 slots left to fill out of 79, but filling most of those will mean a glass of water and a fork for at least one meal a day.

    Working backwards from the most current page, here’s an image of my initial challenge...

    9CF15BC7-5B80-49B7-8B9A-0B00AF9258B4.jpeg

    Most were relatively easy to find from visits to a few coin shops in Tokyo. The third one from the top, a reeded edge 10 yen in uncirculated was the toughest entry, finding it very reasonably on eBay.
    Page four, which covers primarily the war years follows...

    AEC47F5E-0BC5-4990-AC79-36E6C9F829A8.jpeg

    My challenge here was finding nice examples of the tin series from 1944-45. Nevertheless, the fun part was the fact that most of these ranged from $1 to $6 apiece in Tokyo!
    On to page three, which covers the 10 coins issued during the Taisho era as well as the beginning of Hirohito’s reign known as the Showa era...

    1AA5A74C-000E-47BF-8D19-F7E45CC6820F.jpeg

    Here, I added three cracked out pieces from NGC and PCGS: the sunburst 10 sen (MS65) and 50 sen (MS64), as well as the 1914 1 yen (MS64+).

    Page two...

    D48E9286-DE16-4D63-AF07-F1995D532635.jpeg

    ...holds the biggest challenge for me, particularly with the Three Bourseman of the Apocalypse up top. A major convention or auction will likely be the source of these, and my drive for uncirculated examples may result in divorce, so compromise is in order. The examples present are all crack outs of 64s to 66s obtained outside of Japan.

    Lastly, page one...

    8238F2E9-B79C-48B4-BA3E-AB20F9D0F305.jpeg

    Cracked out MS64s and MS65s fill these early issues, with a few yawning holes beckoning for closure. I may go with Browns for the coppers to save a bit more toward the big boys.
    So, this is my unfinished work that I have set my efforts to complete, hopefully within the next year. Although this time last year, I had no thought of pursuing this set, I’m very happy with this challenge and how far I’ve come. It was all due to the album, which offered an unspoken dare.
    Dansco Mexico type will follow in good time!
    Thanks to all of you for your time and for putting up with my drivel. My very best to your drive for the thrill of the find.

    Dennow
     
    Last edited: Feb 5, 2018
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  3. ace71499

    ace71499 Young Numismatic

    This is an amazing set! Beautiful coins! I love the set i really do, i have never seen most of these Japanese issues, other than the ones my dad brought home from his business trip... Thanks for sharing!
     
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  4. gxseries

    gxseries Coin Collector

    Well done! Having to complete the original Dansco a long time ago - I know how hard it is. Much harder in UNC condition - I would have thrown in the towel.

    I like the coins are arranged - much different compared to the original Dansco designed back in 1960s.

    This it the original version back
    https://issuu.com/gxseries/docs/japan_dansco_type_set_1870

    And my re-designed version
    https://issuu.com/gxseries/docs/japan_type_set_1870_current

    I wanted to add in the later edition as well as arranging the way I see them fit.
     
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  5. kazuma78

    kazuma78 Supporter! Supporter

    Fantastic set!
     
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  6. Kasia

    Kasia Got my learning hat on


    I think you could do it by doing one day a week only eating a corn dog you get from 7-11. (total one meal not three). Not only tasty (IMO) but also relatively cheap, more substantial than a fork (and something to actually look forward to)... Might take longer, but maybe more reasonable? You might occasionally change it up with a sandwich, salad or gyoza from there.

    BTW I have visited Japan twice and for some reason I really loved it so much I wish that if my life was different (meaning not wanting to be closer to some family members and some other considerations I have right now) I would be over there living. Beautiful country, fairly easy to get around and nice people.
     
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  7. KarlB

    KarlB Active Member

    Beautiful set!

    I was home ported in Yokuska onboard the USS MIDWAY back in the mid-- 70's. I put together a set of current coins out of circulation in an album I bought out in town. No where close to your's.

    Very very nice! Kudos...
     
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  8. Stork

    Stork I deliver Supporter

    Those are spectacular!
     
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  9. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    Excellent progress on a gorgeous type set. Thanks for sharing them.
     
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  10. Dennow

    Dennow Member

    Beautifully done layout! Wish it could be made into the real thing, but Dansco requires an investment of around $100k to custom design and print a few hundred copies of an album. Someday!
     
  11. gxseries

    gxseries Coin Collector

    You know I really have to question that figure. If that was 10 - 20 years ago, I could have understood why. But with the technology that we have today, I cannot see how it takes that much. There's 3D printer, laser cutter, autoCAD etc - the prices of all of them have drastically gone down.

    If it is of any comfort, I have seen similar coin albums made in Middle East and Russia. I really doubt that takes that kind of capita...

    Maybe I should just open up a few social media account and start promoting possible albums. The cost of doing so is literally zero except my time and effort. Would work out as looking for possible manufacturers...
     
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  12. Stork

    Stork I deliver Supporter

    It's years ago so the details are fuzzy, but IIRC in/around the mid 2000s I had emailed Intercept about doing a custom album. I don't recall any start up cost per se quoted (after all it would be their product) BUT the would have wanted something like 5000 units ordered. I can't imagine new technology would not have improved since then and lower the cost.

    I would dearly love to have an archival type album for my Japan type. I too have cracked many slabs to fill mine, but there are a few coins that are just too nice or too unstable to do that to. It's hard to find those tin/zinc coins in 64 or better condition and it would be a tragedy to ruin a good one. If they are in a slab it can be stored in Intercept, or if raw, in an airtite...but a paper/cardboard album concerns me. That said, my old Dansco version is so old it's unlikely it's still off-gassing anything, but still. The tin/zinc/aluminums still look good but at least one of the silvers has picked up a bit more tone.

    I suppose one could make a slab album or an airtite holding album, but there is something just too cool about an actual raw coin album. (Shoot you should have seen the look on the face of a dealer in Baltimore when I told him I was buying his PCGS/CAC coin to crack out and stick in my US type set/7070. He CLEARLY thought I was nuts...in a good way, but nuts nonetheless).

    @Dennow -- could you post a cover of that album? It would be fun to compare the layout to the old Dansco, and see which varieties it's including.

    I so envy you the chance to get the so-called 'common' pieces in such lovely condition. The war era ones have such a low catalog price, yet are next to impossible for me to find.
     
  13. Dennow

    Dennow Member

    Certainly, Stork!

    C4DE59D3-67F7-4A96-94EB-E06337912645.jpeg

    The spine has the same kanji/katakana ‘Japan Current Coin Album’ text vertically. I’m not sure if this album will in any way adversely affect the coins over time, but I’ll keep an eye on it to arrest any coloration of those scarcer brilliant pieces.

    Speaking of the Dansco 7070, I, too have a complete set, and cracked out a good deal of those little faces!
     
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  14. Dennow

    Dennow Member

    Hi, gxseries. That figure came from a ten year old article I read on Intercept creating a Japan type set album. Artwork and production put the set at around $20, but the minimum order was 5,000 units! I simply figured Dansco would be about the same.

    It makes sense that in today’s high tech environment, blank Dansco pages could have apetures cut and printing done much more reasonably, and I suspect China would be the place to have it done very reasonably. (I believe The Intercept line is printed there.)
     
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  15. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Neat album! Pretty coins!

    I was going to say @Stork would like this, but I see she's already visited.
     
  16. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    That's great. Not only was I unfamiliar with this particular Dansco, but I love your digital flipbook version.
     
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  17. GUSTAVO LARRANAGA

    GUSTAVO LARRANAGA New Member

    That's just an amazing set.
     
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  18. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    That looks like an amazing set. Can't wait to watch you build it!
     
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  19. cladking

    cladking Coin Collector

    Very nice. That makes a great looking set.
     
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  20. sonlarson

    sonlarson World Silver Collector

    Wonderful collection and album. That will be one you will be proud of when completed.
     
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  21. mlov43

    mlov43 주화 수집가

    Very handsome binder. Amazing-looking coins. Something to be proud of!

    Were dates a consideration for this set, or did you just go after the best-condition examples that you could find?

    Here's my "Toho Planning" Japanese year-set (1949~1981). Some of the key dates (1957 10-Yen, 1957 Five-Yen, 1958 10-Yen, 1958 Five-Yen, and others) have been updated since I took the photos you see in this thread:
    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/japanese-coin-binder.256030/
     
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