Any ideas? Mysterious Asian/Far Eastern medal/fob

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by lordmarcovan, Aug 11, 2020.

  1. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    It's neat looking, whatever it is.

    I'm guessing Japanese, but since I can't read it, I don't want to make too many assumptions.

    IMG_3064.jpg IMG_3065.jpg
     
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  3. ewomack

    ewomack 魚の下着

    It's likely Chinese (no katakana), and probably antiquated Chinese, which I don't know much of, but the characters on the top line: 三十二第 likely mean 32, or perhaps the ordinal number "32nd."
     
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  4. David Betts

    David Betts Elle Mae Clampett cruising with Dad

    My Guess 32nd Feng Shui? but not in my wheel house . I do have many china/Japanese but not like this?
     
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  5. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

  6. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    I just have my friend read the kangi characters. This is an award for the 23rd soroban (Japanese abacus) competition, held at a business school in eastern Japan. The year should be 1937, or 11th year of the Showa (昭和) era.
     
  7. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic & Eccentric Moderator

    Fabulous! Thank you so much.

    And look, there is a soroban right there on the obverse! I thought it was some kind of stylized temple or pagoda, but no, it was the beads of an abacus!

    I didn't know what a soroban was until just this moment.

    Thanks again. I shall now edit the OP with the information @happy_collector (and friend) have provided.

    ~RWS/"LM"

    PS- I just realized that the winged object on the other side (which I initially did not recognize) is a pen nib.
     
  8. happy_collector

    happy_collector Well-Known Member

    You are very welcome! Glad I can help.
     
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  9. Black Friar

    Black Friar Well-Known Member

    Fun piece, and translations to make it pop.
     
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  10. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    That's a cool piece!
     
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