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Coin and Paper Money Collecting/Japanese gold 20 yen coin
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I have a 20 yen gold coin which I believe is dated 1918. By U.S. Gold coin standards, it is near a nearly uncirculated condition. I am trying to determine an approximate value and where the best place to have it certified is located. I am not a collector and am trying to determine if the worth leads me to sell vs. simply hold for my children.
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Hi Dave,
This is indeed a 1918 coin (Taisho emperor, 7th year of rule), which is one of the more common dates from this series. From the side pictured I do not see any signs of wear at all. In fact, it appears to be a mint state coin. Of course, I have not seen the other side. I do know from experience, however, that US coin collectors tend to be conservative on grading. The grading standards for this coin would be pretty much the same as for US coins, which all fall under a more-or-less universal rule for grading coins. There are some specific types that require different standards (mostly types that are generally crude or weakly struck), but for the majority of world coins you can reliably use US grading standards.
A mint state coin would be worth around $1,400-$1,500 "raw", or as it is now, and $1,800 to $2,000 if certified by a reputable grading company like NGC or PCGS. A coin that is very close to mint state, with good luster and no major bag marks would still be $900 to $1,200. Either way it's safe to say your coin is worth significantly more than the gold bullion value of right around $600 on the current market.
My personal opinion is that you really should leave this one for the kids. It will appreciate in value more than an equivalent amount of money in the bank, especially with the insulting interest rate banks are giving now-a-days. Also, even if currency takes a dive gold will always be valuable.
Thanks for the question! =)
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Answers by Expert:
Dmitry Livshits
Expertise
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.
Experience
Collector of world coins since early childhood. Access to a variety of auction records and reference material. You can also find me on Facebook.
Education/Credentials
A.S. in Psychology (2006), B.A. in Forensic Psychology (2008), M.A. in Forensic Psychology (2011).
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