It's not listed as a pattern by Krause

satootoko

or the JNDA so what do think this really is?

The seller in Singapore says it has a 50mm diameter, which would probably make the central portion (to the outside of the beaded circle) fairly close to the size of a real Meiji silver dragon yen, although it's total weight of 34g is significantly less than a genuine yen of that era, so it can't be .900 silver.

It's dated Meiji 2 (1869) which is the same as the copper patterns listed by both authorities - the year before the first Japanese circulation struck coinage. The design is that of the yen minted from 1874 until just before WW I, and not that of the first silver yen, which was minted from 1870-73.



If the price doesn't go too high, I just may add it to my counterfeit collection.

Askari

I'd be really careful. Counterfeits in the Orient are notorious for mismatched dies, wrong dates, etc.

tbirde56

Neat that the legends read right to left like the Japanese language did/does(?).

satootoko

I never pay over ten bucks for a counterfeit, and someone in the "private auction" wanted it more than that, so bless him/her.

Put this seller on your avoid at all costs list. He listed a supposedly genuine coin that's 20% underweight, and several replicas of Chinese classic Coins in the same style as the one posted. Kinda makes me doubt his disclaimer this listing about what they are.

SYRACUSIAN

Thank you Roy. Right now, I need all the information I can get on Japanese coins .I find myself more and more attracted to them (must be that JNDA that stork gave me )

Conder101

There have been a LOT of pieces similar to that showing up on eBay lately. I am almost sure that they are MODERN fantasy pieces.