Hi All, My grandfather was an avid coin collector, and created this frame a long time ago. The Silver Ryo Hanafuri in the middle, which still looks brand new, has always stood out vs. the other aged coins. My gut is that it is a fake, the few others I have seen online have looked very beat up. Does anybody have an opinion on this? Thanks! -Web
A silver coin looking like that after even 40 years is quite impressive...let alone 400. I'm sorry to say, I'd question if it was even silver let alone fake.
I'm not very knowledgeable about pre-Meiji coins, but there is nothing remotely similar shown in the Japanese Numismatic Dealers Association catalog, so I'm compelled to doubt that it is a genuine coin.
When I was living in Japan a friend of mine gave me a similar framed set. Most of the coins were genuine, but of low value. The large silver chogin (I think that is what they are called) and gold kobans were vacuumetalized plastic and looked exactly like the one in your photo. Can you take the set out of the frame and touch the silver coin? Does it feel like metal? I took a silver 10 sen coin from the set and blessed it in a special spring at a money temple in Kamakura. Still have it!
