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Odd Japanese Piece I Cant Identify/Authenticate

Jinx86Jinx86 Posts: 3,666 ✭✭✭✭✭
Customer came in for me to appraise a collection that they intend to sell us. However this piece eludes me. The original owner had bought it back in the 60's and had gifted the whole collection to the current owner in the 80's,who had done nothing with it. I knew it was special, but not sure how special. I want the customer to get a good price and if that involves me sending to an auction house Ill do it.

I have a catalog for these, however it is in Japanese. Which I do not speak/read.

Hoei Yotsu-ho Chogin & Mameita-Gin, is all I can make out in the book and the date 1711-1712
Here are two images and a link to the Photobucket album
http://s930.photobucket.com/user/jinx1986/library/Japan 1711-1720?sort=3&page=1

image
image

Comments

  • The Mame Cho - Gin translates as "silver bean block". It has four "ho" markings Yotsu-bo/Yotus-ho. It probably was minted during the fifth or sixth year of the Emperor Nakamikado, Imperial year Ho-ei, (around 1711). I cross-referenced the picture you submitted with Coins of Japan (Munro 1904) and Japanese Coinage - Jacobs and Vermeule 1972). Although I can read most Japanese characters I must admit I am somewhat out of practice. You do have a piece of Japanese history that is not often found in the numismatic community. John

    Sullykerry: Numismatic interests: Canada, Newfoundland, Japan pre-WWII, Ireland, Commemorative Coins (1892-1954) Celtic. References available on request.
  • sumnomsumnom Posts: 5,963 ✭✭✭
    Very interesting. Thank you for posting it.
  • Jinx86Jinx86 Posts: 3,666 ✭✭✭✭✭
    From the guide I was using(printed in 2008) the value was between 1.2M to 2.5M Yen. Now just to figure out if it is authentic or not. Oh yeah thats about 10-25K USD.

    The lady selling is about to celebrate her 80th Birthday so I wanna make it a good one with a big check.
  • pruebaspruebas Posts: 4,301 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would expect at least one of the big Japanese dealers to be at ANA in August.
  • StorkStork Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Maybe a random shot in the dark, but Clark Smith lists/sells some interesting Japanese coins that are pre-Meiji...and IIRC his wife is Japanese, and he has set up at least twice that I know of at the big springtime Tokyo show. It may be worth asking his opinion. If nothing else I'm sure it'd be a thousand times more interesting an email than he usually gets!

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