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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Stork, post: 2882828, member: 71642&quot;]<img src="https://collectivecoin.imgix.net/vs7d28uSRPiWYgm7x2Gn_combo.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p>(scuffy slab!)</p><p><br /></p><p>I was going to load this onto the NEWP thread, but it has a bit of a back story.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>1871 is an interesting year for the Japanese 50 sen.&nbsp; The 50 sen coins of 1870 are 31.51 mm, weigh 12.5 grams of .800 silver.&nbsp; The first 1871s minted were of the same specs, and have&nbsp; two varieties noted based on whether or not one of the characters has an upswept or straight style.&nbsp; These are referred to as the &#039;large size&#039; variety.</p><p><br /></p><p>Later, a &#039;small size&#039; variety was minted.&nbsp; Also 12.5 grams/.800 silver, but a mere 31 mm.&nbsp; The small size has two varieties as well.&nbsp; One version has a 19 mm diameter beaded circle around the central dragon, and the dragon has a flame that overlaps 3 of it&#039;s back spines.&nbsp; The much more rare version has a 21 mm circle and is called the &#039;2 spine&#039; version as the same flame only overlaps 2 of the spines.</p><p><br /></p><p>Interestingly, the large size coin does also have almost the same two spines overlapped--not exactly the same, but definitely not three.</p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://collectivecoin.imgix.net/sVl7ZbqISuddMmUH0pZC_M4%20labeled%20graphic.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><br /></p><p>Needless to say, it is not uncommon for someone to think their large size is the small size/2 spine.</p><p><br /></p><p>In this NEWP&#039;s case though, the NGC label is wrong and declares it a 21 mm (and by extension the small size).&nbsp; Lacking calipers, it has the correct features for the large size clearly visible.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Other than being an upgrade I must confess that part of the draw of this particular coin is that I have a PCGS slab that mis-attributes a small size/21 mm rarity as the large size.&nbsp; Having an NGC slab going the other way amuses me.</p><p><br /></p><p>So, I dropped a reasonable retail bid and HOPED no one would be fooled by the label.&nbsp; We are talking an order of magnitude difference in catalog value ie. $400 vs. $4000 (catalog mind you, and in yen, but you get the idea).</p><p><br /></p><p>Fortunately I was the winner at a reasonable retail bid...but considering what the label implied I was worried the seller would have cold feet and it would never be sent.&nbsp; &#039;lost it&#039;.&nbsp; &#039;sold it elsewhere and forgot to remove listing&#039;.&nbsp; That sort of thing.&nbsp; Or, more dastardly, a package empty or with some other coin.&nbsp; Instead I got to watch the Priority mail take a wee bit of a detour halfway across the country (who knew Omaha was on the way between New Jersey and Virginia??!!) and the proper coin showed up.&nbsp; Shame on me for not having more faith![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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