Any Collectors Live In Or Been To Japan?

Cool, thanks! I didn't know about that search option.

I have been several times.
You used to be able to buy sets from the Post office and the Mitsubishi bank. but I have not Been back since 2001

Tokyo
Ginza Five 1F, 5-1 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Japan 104-0061 don't know if its still there.

Yokohama
4-13-8, Nishishiba, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama Japan 236-0017
http://www.icoins.co.jp/

I'm hoping to go for a couple of weeks within the next year or so. Would love to hear how you liked your trip & what you found when you get back, bwbollom!

Thanks for all of the info everyone. I'll probably just be pocketing interesting looking coins through change since I still haven't found much that sounds like coin collecting is very prevalent. I'd love to find a Dansco 7460 - Japan Type Set book and start slowly attempting to fill that, but it sounds like the books are even more rare than some of the coins :D Maybe there will be something similar available in Japan at a bookstore or something. I'll keep looking...I'll definitely post here with any interesting finds when I return!

Thanks again!

There are a fair number of coin dealers in Japan, but as others have pointed out, tiny shops tucked in obscure back alleys and the language barrier are problems.

To answer the first question: No, I have never been to Japan, but I would like to one day.

As for the Dansco album, I'd take one if it fell in my lap but I wouldn't pursue one. Yes they are nice for the Dansco acclimated collector, but they are expensive and out-of-date.

It is hard to find foreign oriented supplies in USA. Imagine if a Japanese collector were inquiring whether to buy a USA album here or there--what would you recommend?

I would look for albums or supplies in Japan. It's OK if they're not written in English. I think if you learn to read the kanji characters for 1-10; rin, sen, yen; and the four emperors, you've got 80-90% of what you need as a collector. Even if you don't know those now, you will shortly.

What type of Japanese coins are you interested in or do you already collect?

I'm also interested in a 'type set' from 1870s-present.

Then you can go for the cast coins like Kanei Tsuho or Tempo Tsuho or precious metals from before 1870s. . .

As for pocket change, you can probably get a good start on a year set of all of the non-silvers from 1950s-present. However since they have high denominations like 50, 100, and 500 yen coins that will tie up a lot of walking-around money.

You should try to acquire a copy of the JNDA catalog. I don't have one but I'm sure it would be good for window shopping and preparing a checklist. It is not in English. You can get used copies from Scott Semans website.

If you are interested in pre-1870s coins I'd recommend David Hartill's 'Early Japanese Coins' which you can get from Scott Semans, Amazon, or elsewhere.

Please also check out the website of forum member gxseries to see what a 1870-> type set looks like.

-wheatiefan

gxseries: I remembered seeing your collection on another forum a while back. Very inspirational...looks great! It's kind of why I'd like a Dansco, in addition to the fact that my US coin sets are in Dansco albums and it would look nice to have them all on a shelf together.

Are you still collecting Japanese coins or was this your big jump into that arena?

wheatiefan: You should definitely go if you have a chance. I was only there for a week and was amazed at the beauty of the country.

Like I said above, my preference would be a Dansco album just because it's what I have been using for years, what I like, and would look good with the rest of my collection. Having said that, it's not worth it to me to spend the current ebay prices for an empty album. I'd rather go with a blank Dansco and empty plastic sheets or look for something while in Japan.

I think you're probably right and it would likely be easier to look for an album while I'm there. My Kanji is rusty, but I don't think it would take much to learn those basics needed for coin collecting.

My current preferences in collecting Japanese coins is similar to yours. I'd like to get a set of "modern era" coinage...Something like a US Type Set - Dansco 7070 (which I'm also working on). But it would be great to be able to get into the pre-1870s coins eventually if I can find some good dealers there.

I brought home a big pocketful of coins from my last trip. I just made an attempt to only spend paper money and keep all of my coins from change. I have given away several mini sets (1, 5, 10, 50, etc. Yen coins) to friends and family as souvenirs, so I don't actually have a lot left. Here's my tiny stash:

The roll at the top is 5Y coins which I actually went to a bank in Kyoto to get. That was an adventure in itself! I haven't opened the roll, but I liked the coin and it has significance in Japan, so I grabbed a roll while I had the chance. The rest is just leftover pocket change. I had some of the higher denomination coins (100 & 500Y) but the day I was leaving, I was running short on cash and ended up spending most of them at train stations and the like.

I also have a handful of older Japanese coins which I've purchased at various coin shows through the years, but they're just sitting in cardboard flips because I really don't have any organization to this "collection" thus far. Another reason I think a Dansco (or similar type) album would help. I like being able to fill holes and check things off of lists

I do have this one book that I found a few years back at one of my local coin shops:

I'm not sure how great it is as I haven't really pushed too hard into collecting Japanese coins so far. But I thought it was interesting and has a lot of nice photos. Most of the text is in Japanese, but there is English scattered throughout as well, so that helps. I'll look into the other books you suggested, thanks!

I guess the main thing is to just do what little prep I can while I'm still in the US and then dive in once I get to Japan!