Hello, I have just inherited an uncollated coin collection from my father. So this is probably my first of many questions : ) This One Yen coin was among the collection and I'm at a loss to know exactly what it is. I have any number of international coins (I'm in Melbourne Australia) and am currently cataloging what's here. The trouble is that I only speak and read English! So trying to write a description of these foreign coins is a bit tricky. I would be grateful for your help. And if it's not against the forum rules, it is my intention to sell the coins. Thanks for helping out. debs : )
PS: I've weighed and measured it (from info on another post) and it seems legit! 3.86cm. My scale rounds so I get 27gm.
Well, you're correct, it is a one yen coin from Japan, dated Meiji 26 (= 1893 AD). Looking at my catalogue, it's not a particularly scarce year for the series, but these old large silver One Yen coins are pretty popular with collectors so it shouldn't be too hard to sell. (Assuming it's genuine, of course- I don't see anything obviously wrong, but fakes do exist so I would get it examined in person before you try to sell it.) Forum rules on offering coins for sale are pretty strict. You can only offer coins for sale in the "For Sale" sub-forum, and to get access you have to meet a minimum number of posts (I think fifty). Anyway, good luck, it's a nice coin!
Thank you : ) My desk is covered in coins!!! I'm working through them one country at a time. I don't think I'm a natural coin collector because while I find it interesting I'm not sure I shouldn't be doing something else.
We just discussed this very coin within the past week. The OP's coin proved to be a fake, but the many posts in this thread should help you a lot. See: https://www.cointalk.com/threads/1882-yr-15-japan-yen-authentic.291634/#post-2659858 Yours is regnal year Meiji 27 = 1894.
Grrr... I messed up, it is indeed Meiji 27, not 26... that's what I get for trying to read Japanese and Arabic coins in the same night.
Tips for Japanese numerals; a 4 looks like curtains on a window, a 5 looks like a folding chair, a 6 looks like a little man running, and a 7 looks like a cross with a hook to the right, at the bottom. Seriously .
