Japanese Chogan bunsei coin?

[Diana Hudson]

Hello,
I am new to the World of Coins. My father was in the Air Force and we were stationed in Toyko, Japan in the 1960s. I bought a metal bar that I was told was a very old coin. I've been trying for years to figure out what it is and finally found something called a chogin bunsei that looks very much like mine only mine is not silver.
Can anyone help me with identifying this coin and tell me about the markings and what it was used for.
Any information will be appreciated.
thanks
Diana Hudson

[capnbirdseye]

Welcome to the forum Diana, I'm sure someone will be able to answer your question

[Figleaf]

Cho-gin (silver money with the character cho) is a generic name for this type of silver bullion bar. Bunsei is a period. I cannot identify the period on this piece. They were made 1736-1818. Their silver content varies from 80% to 20%. Yours looks like a very low silver content, possible alloyed with brass, which would explain the pale yellow colour and why you don't think it is silver. The only characters I can read are cho in circle at both ends.

I am not an expert on this series. My best guess would be the chogin shown in the catalogue listing below.

Peter

[capnbirdseye]

I has a couple of these many years ago ,both made of Brass or more likely Bronze

[Diana Hudson]

Is there somewhere I can go to look for the marks that were common for the various periods, maybe I can figure out some of the marks.
thanks
Diana Hudson

[capnbirdseye]

Is there somewhere I can go to look for the marks that were common for the various periods, maybe I can figure out some of the marks.
thanks
Diana Hudson

Here is some info but you may have already seen it, further down the page it tells how they got very debased during a 5 year period here

[Aernout]

Welcome

gr,
Aernout

[Arminius]

Welcome Diana !

There are not much ladies interested in coins so you are certainly a rare one.