Hi all. I'm new to the forum. I was going through some old stuff and came across a booklet of Japanese coins. The coins are actually glued into the booklet. My father brought them back from Japan for me about 40 years ago. Where would I go to find out if there is much value to these? Here's the left side of the booklet: http://www.pbase.com/cp8800/image/46659430/large.jpg Here's the right side: http://www.pbase.com/cp8800/image/46659477/large.jpg Here a text description of the coins: http://www.pbase.com/cp8800/image/46659623/original.jpg Thanks for any help. Bob
Howdy Bob - Welcome to the Forum !! We have a member here who specializes in Japanese coins, he'll be able to offer more info when he stops by. But the first problem is what you already told us - the coins are glued into the booklet. This will greatly reduce any value the coins may have as the they are considered to be damaged by collectors because of the glue. But wait and see what satootoko has to tell you about the coins.
I figured Thanks for the reply. I figured the value (if there is any) would be greatly diminished because they are glued in. Bob
You are not thinking like a collector, you are looking at them as a coin collector. These are from a hotel shop. I doubt than many survived. How "common" are they? You might search eBay and see if anything like that has been offered and if so, how often and at what price. Even so, not every estimate is the right one. The coins that seem genuine are common. That's true. That is not the point. The oval coin in the center looks like a facsimile of a gold coin from the shogunate. So, OK, that makes it worth "nothing" because it is a cheap brass knock-off. But, it is in the set and the set is complete and the set would be worth less (if not worthless) without it. I would leave this as it is and treasure it for what it is. You have something from you Dad.
Thanks Thanks for the advice and the information. My Dad turned 82 recently. You're right I will treasure them as something from him. Bob
Hi Bob, and welcome to the forum. What you have is a very common tourist souveneir, sold in "omiyagi-ya" ("sight-seeing gift shops") all over Japan, including many tourist hotels. The coins are genuine and accurately described (including the copper 100 mon erroneously described as a "facsimile of a gold coin from the shogunate" in another post.). They are all common, as indicated by the generally accurate mintage numbers in the text. (There is a discontinuity between Krause types and the types included, as the Japanese do not distinguish between designs which vary only as to the Emperor in whose reign they are issued. Your Dad probably picked it up on a visit to the hot springs at Nikko, a popular resort an hour or two from Tokyo by train. In those days the Palace was one of the larger hotels catering to the U.S. Military from the Occupation through the Korean War years, and later. I haven't been to Nikko in more than 50 years, so I have no idea whether the Palace is still there. BTW the pre-1870 coins are listed with their denomination equivalents under the system adopted in 1871 that year. "Rin", "Sen", and "Yen" were created as part of the complete makeover of the Japanese coinage system in the early years of the Meiji era, and did not exist before that.
Thanks Roy Thanks for the info Roy. I think I'll print it out and tuck it away with the coin set to enlighten the next generation. Regards, Bob
Ever see any aluminum Japanese coins like this? I don't read Kanji, have any idea what these are? Wyliecoyote
Those are 1 and 5 sen coins dated year 15 of Emperor Hirohito's reign (1940AD). There were over 601 and 167 millions of each minted that year and they are worth maybe .25 each. You might also try a library for a copy of the Standard Catalog of World Coins for pictures, values and lots more interesting info.
