How much is this coin 1 yen trade coin?

Question

ok i want to kno how much this coin cost if it were real i got it for 5 $ the one in the picture belows is not my but i have one that is that one but if the coin i had was real how much would it cost

http://coinbucket.blogspot.com/2007/04/tobacco-smile-and-one-good-trade-dollar.html

Answer 1

First, the coin depicted in that photo - which may or may not be equivalent to yours - appears to have a mix of two sides: one (with the dragon) from a Trade Dollar, and the second (with the wreath and chrysanthemum flower) from a Japanese 1 Yen coin.  So this suggests that it may be a fake.  (In other words, to the best of my knowledge, there's no such thing as a "1 Yen Trade Dollar" - it's likely an artistic mashup by someone who is creating modern replicas for the tourist trade.)  See below for more on this possibility:

If your coin happens to be a genuine example of a real Trade Dollar - a coin with the dragon-side shown and a different reverse, one with three Japanese characters arranged vertically within the wreath, rather than two, as shown in that photo - the (old) catalog values given in the Standard Catalog of World Coins, 19th Century Edition (published in 1996) range from $300 in Fine condition to $2,500-$2,750 in Uncirculated condition.  While not all coins increase in value over the years, the likelihood is that those prices are higher today.  The first answer, giving 2004 retail values from a Japanese catalog, is definitely in accord with that premise.

Note that retail (catalog) values, such as those quoted here, and in that Japanese catalog, are the prices that a dealer might charge customers in their shops.  The value you'd receive, as a collector selling to a dealer or other collector, or selling through an auction house (after commission) would likely be substantially lower: as a very rough rule of thumb, perhaps 50% of retail.

You can tell the date of your Trade Dollar by looking for the number of the Meiji era:  Year 8 corresponds to 1875, Year 9 to 1876, and Year 10 to 1877.  Here are some guides to Japanese numbers, and to the characters used to write the Imperial eras:

http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/numb_...

http://www.i18nguy.com/l10n/emperor-date...

I could be wrong about this, but at a brief glance at catalog photos, it appears the single character signifying the year (8, 9, or 10) will appear at about 1 or 2 o'clock, when the words "TRADE DOLLAR" are at the bottom; it'd be the second character from the right, in a set of Japanese (Kanji) characters.

There are definitely many replicas and/or counterfeits of this and many other large silver coins from the Far East: Japanese, Chinese, Philippines, US and British Trade Dollars used in that region, and more.

As a general rule:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Coin-Collecti...

"Most counterfeits weigh up light, are grayish, may look cleaned or antiqued and may have a grainy surface. Weighing it is usually the best telltale of genuinity."

I've also noticed that the detail on fake coins is often less distinct; you can find sharper and finer detail on the genuine coins.

Here's an example of an eBay auction for a fake coin similar to yours:

http://cgi.ebay.ph/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?View...

The genuine Japanese Trade Dollars from 1875 to 1877 weigh 27.22 grams, and are approximately 37-38 mm in diameter (the latter estimated from a photo).

Finally, these eBay guides' authors also asserts that there are many fake Japanese coins, mostly coming from China:

http://reviews.ebay.com/Fake-Silver-Trad...

http://reviews.ebay.com/Japanese-coins-f...

The first of these two guides also notes that weight is one of the key ways to tell fakes from genuine coins:

"Its really easy to tell a fake if you have a real coin to compare, but if you don't you will need a digital scale and a coin catalogue where the weight of each coin issue is listed. Most of the digital scales sold on the market range in price from $20 to $40 and have four modes. This is the type you need to use.

In most cases the forgers use the actual coin to make a die. Due to shrinkage of the mold material during the drying process, the size of the mold is smaller than the actual coin. What is known as nickle silver or tin is poured into the mold and certain organic compounds are used to artificially age the coins.

Usually the weight of the resultant forged coin will weigh about 10%-20% less than the authentic coins, however, this can vary."

Finally, I'd recommend you start by looking up your coin in the Standard Catalog of World Coins, 19th Century Edition.  You can find this book in the reference section of some public libraries, or at some booksellers.  (The publisher, Krause Publications, has a website, but they charge a subscription fee to view listings.)

Answer 2

From the tone of your question, I assume you understand that your coin is a base metal replica. A real coin contains about .78 ounces of silver, which is about $9 worth of silver. This coin would be a really good one if it was real.

The only reference book I have at home is the 2004 Japan Numismatic Dealers Association Catalog of Japanese Coins and Banknotes. The Meiji 10 (1877) trade dollar catalogs in uncirculated condition for 500,000 yen (US$4500) or 900,000 yen (US$8100) in choice brilliant uncirculated condition.