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Real or Fantasy?

Anybody know if this is real or fantasy? Thanks

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  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,194 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No clue, but I'd automatically suspect the latter. Just because.

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  • My expertise, such as it is, covers somewhat later pieces, but both the structure and the individual 100 mon coins look right to me. The calligraphy matches what I am seeing for Tenpo Tsuho (1835-67) coins in the Japanese Numismatic Dealers Association catalog.

    Frankly I've never run across a fake casting, nor read about one in any of the English language literature.

    After being cast in a single mold, the individual coins would be broken off and the rest of the "tree" remelted to be used for additional castings. The coins would then be stacked on a square rod, to keep them steady while the stubs where they were attached to the "tree" were filed or ground off. The round 1 and 4 mon cash coins were produced the same way, except that the casting trees had many more branches.

    Edited to add: According to Jacobs & Vermeule, at pp. 39-40 of Japanese Coinage 2d Ed., up to 125 of the round coins could be cast in a single mold, although their drawings show 28-coin trees.
    Roy


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  • MeijiMeiji Posts: 170 ✭✭
    Well when I was in Japan last year, I went to the Osaka Mint and saw these "Coin Trees" in the display cases. I was wondering if this was real and how much of a premium they might bring if it was. I have no idea how much to buy it for if it is real.
  • sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    That's an interesting piece. I don't know enough about these to comment on the authenticty but as Satotooko has said, there is nothing raising any red flags for me. I'd like to know how much these trees go for. I have never seen one in hand or hand the opportunity to buy one.

  • sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    I'm just thinking about these a little more... is the color in this image accurate?
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