Japan (Edo Period): ca. 1832-1858 gold 2-shu PCGS MS63. Cert. #46788943. Numista-16677. Craig-18, JNDA-09-43, Friedberg-34. Gold (.298 fine), 1.64 g. Rectangular 13 x 7.5 mm. Due to their relatively low gold content, these little rectangular coins should perhaps more properly be referred to as electrum pieces. They are an interesting issue from the Edo Period under the Tokugawa Shogunate, when Japan was emerging from its Samurai past. Ex-Josh Zachman, 9 September 2023. 025000
i've seen these a few times and I really like em but got other gold in line that come 1st lol (not that I wouldn't grab one of these if the price was right)
Their smallish size and modest gold content keeps ‘em relatively affordable. Lots of bang for the buck, I say. What they lack in bullion content they more than make up for in “coolness factor”.
Their gold content is so low, around 7 Karat, that they can't legally be called gold in most countries including the US. And anyone buying these or the gold Bu should be very careful. There are a lot of very good counterfeits hitting the market recently. Lots of these in UNC and the gold Bu in XF/AU. Many are coming out of Japan, but probably not originating there.
As I mentioned in the description, But maybe that's not 100% correct, either, since electrum is a naturally occurring alloy of gold and silver. When the mixture of gold and silver is manmade, and under .500 gold content, would you still call it electrum, I wonder?
