Coin and Paper Money Collecting/asian? coins

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Expert: - 12/30/2009


Question
Hello,

I have two coins with asian markings on them. One has a small hole in the middle with the number 50 at the top portion,and along the bottom asian characters on each side of the number 43.
The reverse has two flowers on the left side of the hole and one flower on the right.

The second coin, while the same size shows a trunk with 3 branches comming off it. The reverse of this coin has the number 1 with characters and no other western markings.
Can you give me any help on what they are?
Thanks

Answer
Hi Paul,
These are legal tender currency from Japan.
The first coin is a 50 yen and the second is a 1 yen. The combined exchange rate is right around 50 cents US.
Being spendable coins, there is not really a numismatic value for them yet.
Thanks for the question! =)

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Dmitry Livshits

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My specialty is world coins from the 18th to 20th centuries, primarily non-US foreign coins and related areas such as errors and exonumia (tokens, medals, etc.). I can answer questions relating to identification, grading, selling, preservation and evaluation of such items. In addition to catalog value, I can give you the practical market value and trends for specific types of coins. I will also take questions regarding counterfeits (both modern and antique) and on how to identify them. I am NOT knowledgeable in paper money/banknotes, ancient or "shipwreck" coins. Thank you.

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Collector of world coins since early childhood. Access to a variety of auction records and reference material. You can also find me on Facebook.

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A.S. in Psychology (2006), B.A. in Forensic Psychology (2008), M.A. in Forensic Psychology (2011).

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