Japan, 1 Yen

[asm]

I saw this one in a lot of coins my mom had picked up and put away. Since my interests are concentrated on India, I am confused on the coin. However looks similar to the coins recently posted by Numii_Anglii.

Would appriciate more information on the same. The coin weighs 27 g. Is it sterling silver or an alloy?

Amit

[Figleaf]

A magnificent example of Japan Y A25.3, year 26 (1893). However, much depends on when the coin was picked up, since modern Chinese imitations abound. The real thing is 26.96 grams and about 36 mm and 900/1000 silver...

Peter

[asm]

Thanks for the information Peter. Will check with her when it was picked up if she remembers. It could well be 26.96g but my scale is accurate only to 1 decimal. You may be right on the diameter but will check that too....

Amit

[andyg]

No immediate problems with this one - looks good from the scan

[translateltd]

It's yr 27 = 1894.  I'm not happy about the colouring, assuming it's not just a scanning issue.  I would suspect a modern Chinese copy, though the good weight is at least a positive sign.

[andyg]

Usually the fakes are not struck so sharply, but I take your point.
Another good question to ask is : Does the obverse line up with the reverse?

[translateltd]

I have an underweight Japanese trade dollar that I bought as a fake (thankfully!) about 20 years ago - if I can find it I'll scan and post just for interest's sake.

[andyg]

In case you were wondering mine is definitely a fake (but I think you knew that!)

[asm]

........ I'm not happy about the colouring, assuming it's not just a scanning issue..........

The colouring is definately a scanning issue.....In fact, it is a photograph taken outdoors, in the evening, without the flash, with the sun giving a slightly golden/yellow light. In hand the coin looks purely silver in colour - not shiny but the dull silver.

Usually the fakes are not struck so sharply, ......

This one is very well struck with a fairly sharp image. I'll replace the image with a larger one uploaded through photobucket this afternoon.

Another good question to ask is : Does the obverse line up with the reverse?

The photograph was taken with the coin fliped top to bottom.......allignment is perfect.

Amit

[asm]

A magnificent example of Japan Y A25.3, year 26 (1893). However, much depends on when the coin was picked up, since modern Chinese imitations abound. The real thing is 26.96 grams and about 36 mm and 900/1000 silver...

Peter

Peter, this coin was bought some time during the War (WW II) and has been with her since then. What seems not too perfect is the diameter. The coin measures 38.00 mm. and not 36 as you state.

Amit

[Figleaf]

That difference is insignificant, as it was estimated from picture size. From the time of purchase I would say this is the genuine article. Congratulations!

Peter

[translateltd]

Some examples I have here: first is a silver yen, Meiji 38 (1905), second another of Taisho 3 (1914), both of which were bought from reputable Japanese dealers in the 1980s and are presumed genuine; the third is the forged Japanese trade dollar that I mentioned earlier - note the style of the Latin letters in particular, as they are what I term "Chinese style", which is something of a giveaway for forgeries.  (Andy's 1914 forgery above has the thick, blobby, misaligned "Chinese style" Latin letters too.)

[asm]

Martin,

Thanks for the fantastic pictures. And yes, the chinese fake does stand out.

Here is a larger picture of my coin.



Amit

[gxseries]

About the obverse lining up with the reverse, early Meiji era coins do not necessary have to line up as the mint had trouble deciding how to align them. In particular the early copper coins were either aligned to the dot in between "dai nippon" and "Meiji xx year" or to the two dots at the bottom of "416 ONE YEN 900".

As a proof, here is a messed up die rotation aligned to the wrong dot:



This is I am not mistaken was aligned to the dot in between "1 sen" and "Dai nippon"

Sometimes having too many dots is not a good idea!

By the way a genuine undamaged uncleaned Japanese trade dollar coin would be worth easily over 1000 dollars if not double or more.