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Coin Dealers in Japan
RockyMtnProspector
Posts: 754 ✭✭✭✭✭
Will be spending about two weeks in Japan starting on January 30--Tokyo and Kyoto. Any recommended coin shops/dealers in those cities?
GSAs, OBW rolls, Seated, Walkers. Anything old and Colorado-focused, CO nationals.
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
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It's been several years since I lived there but there is a lurker who might chime in. Sadly I was working so there wasn't much time for coin shops (or even coins). A couple I'd have no idea how to direct you to, and this one:
World Coins Japan in Tokyo
https://coins.co.jp/
Readily accessible via the Yamanote line and one of the subway lines IIRC.
Oddly enough, they have quite a bit of non-Japanese coins. The principals now also run a fairly busy auction as well.
Another big one is Ginza coins. I never made it there, but it's a biggie
ginzacoins.co.jp/
Something I desperately wish I'd known about and seen was the Currency Museum of the Bank of Japan. If I ever get back to Japan this would be number one on my list of things to do. imes.boj.or.jp/cm/info/
Only went sightseeing in Kyoto. If you can pull of Osaka the Mint is totally worth a visit too.
https://mint.go.jp/enjoy-eng/tour-eng/eng_plant_museum.html
Thank you very much for all of these suggestions!
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
Buy some raw coin(yen) and resell here.
Will see what I can dig up.
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
I also recommend world coins japan in Hamamatsucho while you are in Tokyo.
I think they have larger inventories than Ginza coins have and prices for Japanese coins are more reasonable.
I'm afraid you can't find decent US coins in Japan. I guess majorities of "nice" U.S coins in their inventories are from U.S auction houses and priced much higher naturally.
I know there's also a small coin shop in Kyoto, but haven't visited there yet.
There a small coin show in Tokyo starting on Feb 15th and another coin show in Osaka starting on Feb 22nd, but are you leaving Japan already? http://www.jnda.or.jp/com/index.html
Bummer, I leave the 11th.
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
Unless the coin is of immaterial value, I find it hard to believe that any Japanese coin dealer would ever buy any US coins from a US auction house unless they have a specific customer for it. US coins are lot more expensive than Japanese and are not competitive for local buyer budget.
As Stork said, definitely visit the Currency Museum of the Bank of Japan. The exhibits are very well organized, and trace the history of finance/money in Japan from ancient times through and beyond the Meiji Restoration (1868) when Japan's financial system was integrated with the global system.
While you are there, peer across the street at the classic Bank of Japan (BOJ) building, and reflect on the extraordinary influence that the BOJ has had on global finance beginning in the early 1980s.
Finally, definitely pay close attention to advice from Toyonakataro. We've had the opportunity to meet on several occasions in Japan. He is a gentleman and a scholar and has an exceptional eye for quality. (and an ability to grade US coins that far exceeds my own!)
The Currency Museum is on the visit list!
I will try to make it to at least one shop in addition to the Currency Museum. I'm trying to logistically fit them in with other sightseeing, so that I can kill two birds with one stone.
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
Good luck and have fun, please keep us posted !!!
If you can take photos at the currency museum I'd love to see them. Or, if they have a tourist guide book or something similar, I'd dearly love that too. Even if it's pricey, I'd definitely compensate for any trouble! Or, if you need someone to carry your bags, perhaps I can take a leave of absence from work...
I shall try to take plenty of pics if allowed! And I'll see what the book situation looks like as well.
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
Coin books or general books?
Currency Museum book guide, I believe that's what Stork was looking for.
I tried to get tourist books for stuff I saw in Mexico City last year, but everything in English was unavailable. I do read/speak a bit of Spanish, so that wasn't a problem, but Japanese would be difficult.
I guess in general I'll look for anything in English currency/coin related. Probably not much there but worth the try.
Gonna get me a $50 Octagonal someday. Some. Day.
You have already received some great comments, but I wanted to add just a couple more. In general, coin shops as you might know them in the U.S. or U.K., do not exist here. Both shops mentioned, World Coins, and Ginza Coin, as well as Taisei Coin are wonderful dealers and wonderful people. Super friendly, super knowledgeable, and with deep connections. The problem is that they are not really places to go to hang out and browse coins. World Coins is okay, but they are geared more towards auctions and shows (more on that in a bit). Ginza Coin has a nice little shop/storefront, but they probably have less on display than the smallest single dealer at FUN would have. Taisei Coin has some interesting stuff, but they mainly specialise in new issues from mints around the world. A lot of colourised coins and that type of thing. If you are looking to browse coins, the 10~12 times a year shows in Tokyo/Osaka/Nagoya are the only places to really do this. The highlight of the year is the Tokyo International Numismatic Convention which happens every year in early spring, coinciding with the Golden Week holidays. There are also numerous auctions throughout the year from the above dealers and a couple of others that offer Japanese as well as a wide variety of world coins. I collect U.S., Japanese, as well as some other world coins, and look forward to the shows in Tokyo. I also try to make a biannual trip to FUN or Baltimore to geek out and get a massive overdose of coins.
If you have the time, both the BOJ museum as well as the Osaka Mint are really interesting places to visit.
Kind regards
A general Japan question: how significant of an influx/impact is the rugby world cup expected to have on tourism, congestion, enjoyment, etc. I'm considering visiting Japan this summer but my available dates unfortunately completely coincide with the world cup...
Re: The Rugby World Cup
This is only my personal opinion, but I doubt it will have any noticeable impact. Japan has had a massive tourism boom over the last 3~4 years, but in terms of day to day life it has had a very minimal impact. Tokyo and the other major cities are so heavily populated to begin with, the marginal addition of the tourists does not really make a difference. The fact that in the initial stages, games will be spread out all over Japan will make the impact even less noticeable. The thing I would caution about, is travelling during the summer months (July~September). Japan has rainy season in June, and then summer begins. To be blunt, summers are incredibly hot, humid, and all around uncomfortable. Temperatures can easily hit 40 degrees or higher in downtown Tokyo, with a humidity AVERAGING around 70%~80%. Another problem is that it does not cool down much in the evenings, and it does not cool down much even when it rains. Imagine pouring rain, and temperatures in the mid to high 30's, not very enjoyable. The best time to visit Japan is any time from mid September until cherry blossom season in March.
Regards
Thank you! This is extremely helpful!