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 Replies: 10 / Views: 8,178 |
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
I live on Okinawa and found a coin yesterday while we were sea glass hunting. You can barely tell that it's a coin. It is so worn down that any markings are almost undetectable. It's the diameter of a dime and a little heavier than the yennies we use today. On one side there is a Y and what looks like a compass. It probably isn't, but that's what it looks like. On the other side is a brid. My guess is a phoenix. It's wings are spread and looks very similar to the eagles we have on our US currency. There are 3 kanji above it and 5 below. They must be kanji. All of them are different. There is no hole in the center. I would take a picture, but it appears that will be a waste of time. You can't tell anything but the shape and color. Any ideas? Thanks!  Identified - moved to World Coins forum - Sap |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1729 Posts |
Your description sounds a lot like a 5 sen coin (19 mm, aluminum) from 1940-42, Y60 and Y60a in Krause. The "Y" that you see might actually be the kanji symbol for "5", if it is above the "compass", which is actually a chrysanthemum. The obverse indeed has the bird with the spread wings and the 3 kanji above and 5 below the bird.
BTW my brother lived on Okinawa a couple of years ago and loved it there.
Oh - and you obviously have good taste in choosing your avatar!
Edited by pls
08/01/2010 12:48 pm
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New Member
 United States
6 Posts |
Hey, thanks! You have good taste in Biblical scripture. I saw James 4:14 on your profile. :)
I was leaning toward sen for the coin...and aluminum...and also that it might have been from the WWII era, early 40's. The Y is actually below the chrysanthemum. The Y isn't kanji, though. That kanji is more like a lowercase h with a line above it and below it. It is so unbelievably worn from its years in the ocean that you almost can't see anything. The whole coin is smooth. It's not worth anything, but it was a great find for me!
Okinawa is beautiful. We've lived here two years (this month) and have a year to go. My husband is in the military...as is everyone else American here. :)
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Moderator
 Australia
16829 Posts |
Hello and welcome.  The coin pls has mentioned is this one. Check and see that what you can make out of the design on your coin is a match for this one. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Rest in Peace
United States
1729 Posts |
Below the chrysanthemum on the 5-sen coin I suggested I believe is the symbol for "sen"; perhaps the wear pattern on it left it looking like a "Y". Yes, the kanji symbol for "5" is a bit like a lowercase "h" with lines above and below it.
My brother is retired Air Force and worked on base. It would be a hoot if your husband and he actually had run into each other. On the other hand, he loved the area and ... detested the job. Lotsa broken promises, etc. Oh, and I'm anything but a Biblical scholar, but the first time I read that passage it hit me like a poleax. Sort of reminded me that I couldn't take it all with me, especially the coin collection.
Now ... go find some more sea coins!
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
Okay, I did find a picture online. I see what you're talking about with the kanji. That may describe the undeciperable character on the top, but there's still that crazy Y on the bottom. It's an actual "Y" and not a kanji symbol. That part's confusing. Other than that, it is definitely the same thing.
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
Thanks, Sap. It's good to be here. That's the picture I found.
PLS, that has to be it. I turned the coin upside down and I can definitely see how it could be the kanji for 5. I should've realized I had it upside down sooner. LOL
That would've been neat if they had run into each other. I know what you mean about the broken promises. It runs with the territory.
Sorry, I thought I had submitted the earlier reply. After I did submit it I saw the most recent ones. So, the mystery is solved. Thanks!
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Pillar of the Community
Philippines
1156 Posts |
Quote:
It's the diameter of a dime and a little heavier than the yennies we use today. On one side there is a Y and what looks like a compass. It probably isn't, but that's what it looks like. On the other side is a brid. My guess is a phoenix. It's wings are spread and looks very similar to the eagles we have on our US currency. There are 3 kanji above it and 5 below. They must be kanji. All of them are different. There is no hole in the center. Name & identify the coin contest! I was about to request a picture, but Sap nailed it even with simple description. wow! congrats Sap !  This could have been a good contest thread  Edited by Nic
08/02/2010 12:21 am
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New Member
United States
21 Posts |
Hi- I found a pic of a coin that was described. Is this it? .   I have a few that came from a retirement area, possibly they were brought back by a GI during WWII. Thanks for the interesting post. Cheers, |
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
That is the most amazing picture! That's EXACTLY what it would look like. It was so hard to make out anything at all, but after you have a picture in front of you it becomes a lot more clear. My friend that was with me didn't even think that it was more than a piece of metal because he couldn't make out anything at all. Thanks for posting the pictures!  |
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New Member
United States
21 Posts |
I'm surprised the salt water didn't dissolve it. You probably have the most circulated example of the coin. A few of the surviving coins were brought back by our GI's from the WWII days. Now they are hard to find like the Confederate Money. There is one on ebay. item=320576013252 Good find, Maybe the locals have some put away. |
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Replies: 10 / Views: 8,178 |
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Posted 08/01/2010 5:26 pm
