My wife’s cousin has these in his collection but doesn’t know much about them. Sorry for the poor pics
It's Chinese, not Japanese, and it looks like it's a '20 Cash' denomination, although your photos are too dark to tell. Generally, these are just worth a few dollars at best.
The top coin appears to an 1875 2 Sen coin worth about $4.00. The other seems to a 1 Sen coin minted from 1916 to 1938. However, better pictures are required to confirm the dates and eras.
Thanks for the more accurate description. I guessed 20 cash from the size and copper color. B.T. - those ARE Japanese pieces then? Got that wrong too.
I also think the coins are Japanese instead, in Kanji characters. I used Photoshop to brighten up the first image. Believe it said Year 8 of Meiji period. Need clearer photos for sure.
Correct the stylized chrysanthemum and paulownia flowers are symbols of the Emperor and Japanese Government, thus giving away the country of origin.
Yes, they are definitely Japanese. The other giveaway are the Kanji "大日本" ("Dai Ni Hone") which means "Great Japan" or "Empire of Japan," the name Japan used to refer to itself prior to World War II. I can't make out the date on the second 1 Sen coin - it's buried in the darkness of the photograph. Also, 1 Sen (一銭) was 1/100 of a Yen. The Sen, like the name "Great Japan," also vanished from Japan after WWII.
They are both Japanese. First coin is 2 sen dated 1875 (Meiji 8). Better photos will help identify the second coin.
Yes, I can see it now, 昭和六年 or Showa 6, as already stated. One more thing, dates (and all text) on Japanese coins appeared from right to left before the 1950s, so the date actually looks like this on the coin: 年六和昭 So "Great Japan" reads like this: 本日大 Modern Japanese coins read left to right, so on more recent coins "Japan" now appears like this: 日本国 Also, around the Chrysanthemum on reverse top of the 2 Sen, the characters read "50 to one yen," similar to the "1/100" and "1/200" on the reverse of Early American copper cents and half cents.
Could someone please help me identify this coin. I think it is Chinese or Japanese. It has similar symbols to other coins but it has markings on the back that I can’t match.