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japan help please

lmking304lmking304 Posts: 94
in World & Ancient Coins Forum
I would love it if someone could give me some info about my japanese 2 sen. My book is only 1901-present. So the only thing I know is it is yr. 30 (1897?) and 2 sen. Thanks!

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I have so much to learn!

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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    It's year 13 (1880).
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    I think the mintage is 33,142,000, making one of the more common years. Krause says F 2.00 VF 3.50 XF 6.00 UNC 115.00
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    lmking304lmking304 Posts: 94
    I thought it translated as Year 3 x 10 emperor Mutsuhito? Which way do they read the date?
    I have so much to learn!
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    Read the Japanese clockwise.

    "Meiji 10+3 nen"
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    lmking304lmking304 Posts: 94
    OOOH! I get it! So this one is 1880, What is made out of? And What is it worth?
    I have so much to learn!
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    I just noticed that on the reverse (the two sen side) the legend reads counterclockwise. Far out.
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    I put the Krause values in one of the posts above. In that condition it won't be worth much: maybe a good cup of coffee or a few shots of espresso. I believe it's bronze.
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    lmking304lmking304 Posts: 94
    Now you are confusing me...Is it still yr 13, or is it yr 30? i am sorry I have so many questionsimage

    Only worth a cup of coffee is fine with me, I got it for free image
    I have so much to learn!
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    It's 1880. 1884 was the last year they were minted for circulation and there were no issue in 1897. I am sorry to confuse but on the obverse (with the date) the Japanese runs clockwise but on the reverse (the side with the denomination) it runs the other way.
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    lmking304lmking304 Posts: 94
    Thank you for all of your help! I really apreciate it!
    I have so much to learn!
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    Actually, the way to say this without being confusing is that the Japanese text runs from right to left. If you rotate the coin such that the obverse Japanese is on the bottom of the coin and thus rightside up, it runs from right to left. The text on the reverse also runs from right to left.

    This is hard for me because I can never tell my right from my left anyway!
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    Well, I hope I was helpful. I may have just made a mess of things instead.
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    lmking304lmking304 Posts: 94
    No! No mess! You were extremely helpful! I know how to read japanese better! I think I have to look at the other ones I dated, they may be backwards!

    Thank you!
    I have so much to learn!
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    satootokosatootoko Posts: 2,720


    << <i>I think I have to look at the other ones I dated, they may be backwards! >>

    Prior to World War II during the Showa Era (reign of Hirohito) coin dates were shifted from the traditional Japanese reading right to left, and placed on coins left to right. The quick and dirty way to tell the difference is to look at which end of the date has the single character "nen" (year), which is the character just below the 3 o'clock position in the photo. The date format always begins with a two-character designation of the regnal era, followed by 1 to 3 numeric characters, and ending with "nen".

    For more detailed information on dating Japanese coins check out this site.
    Roy


    image
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    Satootoko, do you know which year the change from R-L to L-R happened? Was it 1945 or shortly thereafter?
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    I was looking through the pics in Krause and it looks like the change happened in 1947 or 1948.
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    Looking through the JDNA catalogue it seems that 1948 is the year of the change over but I am not certain.
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    satootokosatootoko Posts: 2,720


    << <i>Looking through the JDNA catalogue it seems that 1948 is the year of the change over but I am not certain. >>

    1948 (Showa 23) is indeed the first year of the new dating system. My original comment about "prior to WW II" demonstrates the folly of relying on memory and not verifying what you are posting. image
    Roy


    image
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    sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    Well, these things happen! I couldn't really remember when it happened, myself. I just suspected that it was sometime right after the war.
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