Korea, 5 mun 1883, Mandel 21.1.9

[crazylegsbob]

hello everybody.
just joined in to see if there is anybody with knowledge on the japanese coinage,
got  a old coin poss mutsuhito,need some info /id,please,regards robert.
looks a good forum,coin quest has pushed me this way  cos i got them "STUMPED".
if anybody can help ,i will post some pictures up. 

[eurocoin]

Please add some photos of the coin.

[crazylegsbob]

going to get it weighed  first.tried to attache a  file but its coming up as too big,what am i doing wrong,will have to make my j-peg smaller, watch this space

[Figleaf]

If you are a lucky MacUser, Graphic Converter will resize (and much more). If you are a PC pilot, try Resizr or consult this thread.

Peter

[crazylegsbob]

here we go,this is my coin.
weight is 9.26 g,dia is 30 mm and 1.10 mm thick.
is it a mutsuhito.
regards robert
[top photo showing 5 and 9]=year 1886.

[Manzikert]

It is actually a Korean 5 mun, cast at the Central Government Mint (Chonhwan'guk) in 1883, Mandel 21.1.9. The 5 is for the denomination and the 9 is for the series (1-12 are known for this issue)

The lower image is the obverse and should be turned 180 degrees.

Alan

[Figleaf]

Good going, Robert. As you can see, your pics took only 23k, while you can post up to 128k, so there's plenty opportunity for bigger pics.

Peter

[crazylegsbob]

thank you kindly gents
very good,glad u could put a name to it, very interesting,
i know its a dirty coin,value wise but what about its rarity,
many thanks,robert.   

[Figleaf]

These coins are seldom seen outside East Asia. The market for them is not deep enough for a price quote. It all depends on who sees the coin when it's offered for sale. FWIW, this is KM 209, 210 or 211.

Detail is clear, so the coin doesn't really need cleaning. If you are unhappy with the colour, a long bath in olive oil will make it darker.

If you are worried about the dirt, washing it in lukewarm water with soap will dissolve any fatty substance (including clay) and take off dirt. Acetone will dissolve any chemicals. Make sure to neutralise the coin afterwards by washing it in clean water and dry thoroughly.

Peter

[Manzikert]

As these things go it is in reasonable condition: a lot of Korean cast coins are very sloppily made, as they seem to have gone for quantity not quality in production, so they are not rare.

I only have one 5 mun from this mint, a series 4, Mandel 21.1.4, 6.98 gm, 32 mm, and as you can see it is even more crudely cast than yours.

I'm afraid I'm not sure about current prices for these, but I would assume just a few dollars as they are only priced at $0.40 in Mandel (1972 prices)

Alan

[crazylegsbob]

thanks ,alan
nice to know these things,
a difference in weight too,mine is 9.26 and yours is 6.98
i am amazed by  the vast knowledge you and the rest of the team have,
nice forum

[bgriff99]

Hong Kong seller on eBay 'Wattwat' placed this coin exactly in this week's sale, starting bid $6.   To give an approximate valuation.   US$.