Japanese silver coins in silver coasters

I've seen that $26K teapot...maybe WorthPoint or some such. There was also a large tray, similarly costly at auction; maybe two years ago...somewhere.

 

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Don't go away...we're just beginning to have fun with this!

 

I hope you get a significant price for your coasters. I've got to wonder, though, if there will be much interest in them in Hong Kong.

 

I'm getting strong interest from some unusual quarters, and lots of helpful comments; working several possible venues actively, and will update this thread as developments occur.

 

I just received this from a Stack's Bowers rep: "I have reviewed the information in your email with one of my colleagues who specializes in Asian Numismatics for us, and he felt that the weight and bulk of the items would make them unsuitable for our auctions." I had previously heard roughly the same story from another auction-house rep.

So: back to square one.

 

Did he just call your items fat?!

Seriously though, that's an odd reason to not want to auction an item...

 

Wow. That box looks like it would fit in a large USPS flat rate box with plenty of room for padding. Talk about lazy...

 

I will look these up in my Krause catalogs when I get back home from work 1:20am i work 4pm-1am. it kills me to see these coins used as coasters ugh. if authentic these could be 1,000 dollar coins but because of the scratches and heavy cleaning.... maybe worth only a couple hundred. ugh. I would leave them in the coasters... they are worth much more because of the artists use of the coins in the coasters.

 

1st coin is not in my krause catalog, could be a very rare patern coin ? or it is a year with the 3 lines as the caligraphy as a date on the coins with "416" number on them ? it might be in my book the coins with "416" number on them I need a specific year on those coins to identify there values. find out what the years are for the coins that have the "416" number on them. thanks, Craig.

 

screw sleeping before work. I must to locate these for you.... ha ha ha. (I love researching coins for people/collectors).

this coin is 1870 Japan 1 Yen
Krause catalog number- Y#5.2 yr.3(type 2)
weight- 26.9568g. metal- .900 silver mintage ?

values- Fine-$325.00 VF-$500.00 Extra Fine$700.00 Uncirculted-$1,000

these were probably uncirculated coins at one time. it kills me to see them abused (scratched and polished) as coasters ugh. these coins are rare. I would suggest leaving the coins in the coasters because the artist used the coins in the coasters will bring alot more money at auction. please let us all know how much money they brought at auction, thanks Craig (spirityoda).

 

outer #1 and inner#2 are type 2

 

outer#3 and outer #4 are type 2

 

inner #6 inner#7 are type 2

 

outer#8 and inner#9 are type 2

 

Next stop, Spink's. I have used them twice, although more than a decade ago, once in Hong Kong, once in Singapore. www.spink.com

Address

145 W. 57th St.
18th Floor,
New York, NY
10019


Contact Details

Email: usa@spink.com
Tel: +1-212-262-8400
Fax: +1-212-262-8484

 

I'll check it out...thanks!

 

I still say they'd bring more in Japan, to the right collector, than in a Hong Kong auction.

 

NK, you're probably right, but I don't know of any auctions scheduled for Japan - do you? Certainly there's an incentive to dump yen in favor of hard assets other than PMs, for the time being.

So ask Spink if they're holding an auction in Japan this year. Or IF not, WHY not? There may be unfavorable tax treatment, or high customs duty, or who knows what.

 

It might just be worth a shot to use a free Buy-It-Now listing to put them on FeeBay for the price you're hoping to get + 10-15% to cover the fees. If they don't sell, you haven't lost anything but a little bit of your time.

 

I already PMed the seller my thoughts on this, but working with Japanese wealth (and wealthy Asian families, in general), I firmly believe the following:

You (or your agent) must be in Japan to sell the set. The older-wealth (think "East Egg" from Gatsby) Japanese like to know (meet) who they are buying from. Many times, items won't be purchased (for reasons related to face) on the pretense that the buyer doesn't know enough of the seller.

BTW, Hontonai, what is your name in reference to? I know what "honto" and "nai" mean, but the two together don't really make sense, since the phrase wouldn't mean "not (none) really" in Japanese.