Maybe Japanese Coin Question

dehoedtb, first I am very sorry for your loss. Second, welcome to CCF. Third, your coin is a cast cash of Asia. Or is that actually two different coins? One pic seems a lot more dark than the other. Can you please post clearer pics of both sides with good lighting, in-focus, and a minimum of excess border? Once we can see the characters, we should be able to get you an answer. Thx!

Added:
Ok, after manipulating the brightness of your first pic, I can see that it is the so-called 11 waves reverse that is found on 4 mon coins of Japan (1769-1859 AD). I still can't see enough of the characters in the second pic to narrow it down further, but here is a link which might be helpful for you:

http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty...onkanei.html

Can you get more clear pictures? The 4 mon coin was only made with the inscriptions Kanei Tsuho and Bunkyu Eiho; this looks like something else entirely. I suspect it is a charm.

Spence, first thank you!! Second it is one coin. It has the same markings on the front as a WADOKAICHIN. And the reverse of a kanei tsuho 4 mon 11 or 21 waves coin. But mine does have 12 waves not 11.

Definitely a charm. Wado Kaichin all have a blank reverse, and are *very* rare... $5,000+ rare. They also precede the 4 mon denomination by a matter of centuries.