Still Need help with this Large Japanese? Medal ID

StrikeOutXXX · October 11, 2014 5:40AM

I'm just starting to go through a collection purchase, I'm sure I'll have more questions in the future, but for now, wanted to ask on these 3. Luckily the guy had most things marked, but not all.

1) This is a big medal - about 67mm.

2) Smaller coin

3) Can someone confirm this piece. He had it marked 1944L Proof - Big price difference from a normal 1944L non-proof.

Thanks a ton!

Last of what I have left to attribute. Any help would be appreciated.

4) Unknown

5) This purchase was 100% Darkside, curious why this was in there

6) He had this East Africa 10 Cent piece labeled as "Proof". Any way to confirm it's proof?

7) Lastly, this British Caribbean 5 cent was also labeled "Proof" - any idea?

ajaan · October 11, 2014 8:17AM

What's going on with the reverse rim 3:00 t0 6:00 on the Indian coin? And yes, it is an L. Don't know about Proof.

StrikeOutXXX · October 11, 2014 10:15AM

<< What's going on with the reverse rim 3:00 t0 6:00 on the Indian coin? And yes, it is an L. Don't know about Proof. >>

Here, I kind of fixed the white balance:

As for 3-6:00, kind of looks like a CUD off the bat, but not real sure. Here are both ends where it comes/goes.

StrikeOutXXX · October 14, 2014 7:38AM

Added the last I couldn't figure out or had questions on - Any help is appreciated.

sumnom · October 14, 2014 8:15AM

Let me work on #1 a little bit and see what I can come up with.

sumnom · October 14, 2014 2:50PM

Progress: It's Japanese. It's dated 1940. It's a medal commemorating the 800th anniversary of the birth of a Buddhist(?) master whose name I am trying to figure out. Once I get that, the whole thing will fall into place.

I am still working on it.

lordmarcovan · October 14, 2014 3:34PM

It sounds like their former owner was proof-happy. The East Africa coin is not a proof. The British Caribbean coin definitely isn't. I don't know about the Indian coin. I don't think so. Looks like it has some nice toning, though.

sumnom · October 18, 2014 1:54PM

I am still stumped but I haven't given up yet...

nealeffendi · October 18, 2014 4:35PM

The coin with Arabic writing is Saudi Arabia, one qirsh dated 1356 (about 1937). There is a plain edge version and a reeded edge version with the reeded edge struck in 1947 in Philadelphia.

LochNESS · October 18, 2014 5:39PM

2) 1807 "Double Fanam" of British India (British East India Company), Madras Presidency; obverse denomination in Persian (center) and English (circular); reverse denomination in Telugu (center, within circle) and Tamil (circular); Pridmore 164? KM 341?

edit to add: I believe it's silver

LochNESS · October 18, 2014 6:03PM

3) As others have said, it is definitely an "L" mark. You can see the "L" under the flower on the reverse (at 6 o'clock). The obverse looks proof-like to me, but I don't see the reverse as proof ... It's really hard to say because older British proof strikes look very different than modern NCLT proofs. I'm not an expert on this type so I highly recommend you find someone who is, and who has seen the proof variety, and get their opinion (or find a photo of the proof variety to compare; perhaps from an auction catalog?). Or you could just submit it for grading ... PCGS would be my suggestion.

5) The name "Dhonau" (also spelled Donau) is very popular surname in Germany and has been for a long time. This token was probably good for 25 pfennig at a tavern or hotel run by someone with the name Dhonau. Perhaps your client kept it as a keepsake from their WWII travels? Probably a great story behind this token. If you are unable to contact them and learn the story, that would be a shame.

6 + 7) Lord M is right. Definitely NOT proofs. Sorry bud.

StrikeOutXXX · October 19, 2014 2:24AM

<< 2) 1807 "Double Fanam" of British India (British East India Company), Madras Presidency; obverse denomination in Persian (center) and English (circular); reverse denomination in Telugu (center, within circle) and Tamil (circular); Pridmore 164? KM 341?

edit to add: I believe it's silver >>

A-HA. OK, found this:
http://www.chiefacoins.com/Database/Countries/East_India_Company.htm
With of course: There are 24 obverse and 2 reverse combinations, making 24 types recorded of the above 2 Fanam coins.

With my coin having circles on both sides, think that narrows it down to either KM340 (1807) or KM350 (1808).

Mine weighs 1.82g, and has diagonal reeding on it. Here are better pictures. Now to figure out which of the 24 types it could be:

LochNESS · October 19, 2014 10:59AM

Well, I am changing my position. I had said 1807 but after reviewing their images and the following notes I'm going with 1808

<< Note: Larger buckle, "Do" in Persian in larger legend, lines are crossing after "M" in "FANAM" and the size of legends are wide and smaller on both sides from the above KM#340 coin. >>

They have the mintage listed at 6,044,350. This makes sense because despite their age (not too shabby, not modern!) these are sort of everywhere. I found many on google and eBay. But they are often worn, poor condition. I can't grade yours but it looks better than the worn, circulated examples I've seen elsewhere.

StrikeOutXXX · November 6, 2014 9:59AM

Everything else was ID'd - but still need help with the 1st item - the Japanese medal...

Thanks!

sumnom · November 6, 2014 10:42AM

I can't really read the script. I can get parts of it but much of it is beyond me.

I will try again...

sumnom · November 6, 2014 11:00AM

I've had a breakthrough! It is certainly Japanese and it is Buddhist. I will be back soon with more details...

StrikeOutXXX · November 6, 2014 11:04AM

<< I can't really read the script. I can get parts of it but much of it is beyond me.

I will try again... >>

LOL - If it's the pics, I can take better ones.

If it's the actual font/type/characters - don't feel bad. I do some work with a major iOS/Android gaming company, and when you first told me it was Japanese, I sent pics to our guy who does all the Japanese localizations and social media stuff for Japan.

He basically told me he has no idea, that isn't used in Japan any more that he knew of.

Thanks for keeping at it!

sumnom · November 6, 2014 11:53AM

OK, I've got it now.

This is a medal commemorating the 800th anniversary of the birth of the Buddhist monk Honen.

Here is the legend on the medal, as best I can make out:

宗祖明照大師降誕八百承 - Eight-hundredth anniversary of the birth of the founder, the Great Master Meisho

慶讚記念 - Celebratory Commemoration

總本山 - Main Temple/Lead Temple/Sect Headquarters

知恩院 - Chion-in

昭和七年四月 - May 1932 (fourth lunar month of the seventh year of the Showa Era)

sumnom · November 6, 2014 11:57AM

"Great Master Meisho" is a posthumous title the Meiji Emperor bestowed upon Honen in 1911.

Sullykerry52 · November 6, 2014 12:02PM

Sunmon: Usually these Buddhist medals are associated with a particular school and or temple. I can't make out either as my ability to read this form of Kanji is limited. There does seem to be a reference to 800 years.

sumnom · November 6, 2014 12:07PM

The temple is Chion-in.

The sect is not mentioned on the medal but it is Pure Land.

sumnom · November 6, 2014 12:13PM

I must say, this was a tough one but once I got the name of the temple and the name of the monk it all worked out. I see in an earlier post that I incorrectly dated the piece. For the record, it is NOT 1940. It is 1932.

Honen was born in 1133 AD though. One might think the medal would be produced in 1933. I guess we have here a different method of counting.

StrikeOutXXX · November 6, 2014 1:25PM

Great detective work there Sumnon! Thanks a ton.

Now that we know what it is, all I could find was this:
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-japanese-honen-jodo-shu-110340840

Too bad mine didn't come with the box.

That was the last mystery item in that purchase, not to figure out what to do with it. I had a World Coin dealer buy the rest of the collection at a show Sunday.

sumnom · November 6, 2014 1:34PM

Far out!

I am standing by my date though. I still think it is the fourth lunar month of the seventh year of Showa, or May 1932.

lordmarcovan · November 6, 2014 3:21PM

That's the first time I've ever seen any Asian characters in a forum post. I didn't know you could do that, without it rendering gibberish.

Edit- aha- it did render gibberish when I quoted that post. Nice trick, sumnom.

sumnom · November 8, 2014 5:33AM

I don't know why but there was a time when it wouldn't work and then it just started working. I don't think I actually did anything different.

PatAR · November 8, 2014 12:02PM

This thread is a great example of what's great about these forums!

Kudos!

LochNESS · November 10, 2014 3:20AM

I have noticed when I copy/paste characters from another window - whether it be Wikipedia, Google Translate, Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF - the characters tend to show up here. I have had a couple instances when it didn't work but usually it does.

Of course I've only been trying for a couple years. Perhaps before then it wasn't working.

1509eric · November 10, 2014 7:35AM

No.5:

I have two more ideas about the name on it.

www.dhonau.de is an old Company, since 1873, they make everythink about melting metal....

or

I found an old Wellness/Hospital called "Kurhaus Dhonau"...ist now a Hotel with Wellness area

or

"Donau" is the german name for the big river, in english "danube"

otherwise im not sure ist an popular Name...I never hear that before..

LochNESS · November 10, 2014 8:29AM

<< otherwise im not sure ist an popular Name...I never hear that before.. >>

I'm not a native speaker so I'm sure I took this from Wikipedia. I vaguely recall doing a google search and being frustrated because the only results were ID profiles on LinkedIn and Facebook. I think Wikipedia is where I read that some prominent German figures had that surname.

Still Need help with this Large Japanese? Medal ID

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