Big Boys Hobbies

Old coin record

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Larbo

Senior Member
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Apr 15, 2017
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I tried a new public area with trails in western Tokyo Prefecture a couple of days ago and found more old coins than ever before. I ended up with 20 coins including a 1965 ¥100 but I counted it because it is 60% Silver.

Some of the coins are old and interesting such as the Ten Sei Gen Ho. The original is Chinese coin called the Tian Sheng Yuan Bao made from 1023 to 1031. It was imported and used in Japan. It was also made here. David Hartill's book list as a Kyushu coin from between a 1580 and 1620 but this one seems to be very poor quality and roughly made. The color is also distinctively lighter than the other coins and the signal and tone on the AT Pro was in the low 40's so I expected foil so I think it may just be bita-sen (low quality coins made in Japan and copied from previosly imported Chinese coins). The next oldest coin was a Sei So Gen Ho with seal script. It is a well made coin and looks old so I think it is an original Sheng Song Yuan Bao from between 1101 and 1106. Next coin is a Sentoku Tsuho or Hsuan Te Tung Pao from 1426-1435.

I also found 3 old kanei tsuho from 1636-1668 and 4 shin kanei tsuho including 2 with mint marks - Sa (1714 or 1736 I think) and Ashi (1741-45), two 4 Mon Kanei Tsuho from 1769 or later, 2 Bunkyu Eiho from 1863-68, 2 1 sen from 1921 and 1936, 2 aluminum wartime 1 sen from 1939 and one 1942 and a 60% silver ¥100 from 1965.
 
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Here are a couple more. I am having trouble posting pictures again.
 
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GeneralQuarters said:
Larbo, that's some great old coins! I wonder, what are the detecting laws in Japan?
Click to expand...

I don't think enough people metal detect here for government to think about laws. I don't hunt on sites that are recognized as being historic but almost everywhere here has some history.

I would not go detecting at famous castles, shrines or temples or other similar places but I don't think it is a problem in parks, beaches or hiking areas. The coins you find are old but only worth a dollar or less in the condition you find them in. Most of them are also very common.

I actualy do have some reservations about posting finds because if metal detecting becomes more popular or a tourist or someone with a metal detector does something stupid to draw attention to it and then they will start making rules.
 
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Larbo said:
I don't think enough people metal detect here for government to think about laws. I don't hunt on sites that are recognized as being historic but almost everywhere here has some history.

....
Click to expand...

I asked the American business man in Japan this question. He said there is utterly no laws that specifically concern or address "metal detecting". The only thing his research pointed to, was issues like lost & found laws. Which in Japan is more a part of their culture. Like if someone leave cash on a subway seat, the next person will turn it in (or any valuable of any sort). But the value cutoff criteria is below any denominations of coins.

But as far as it goes for finding jewelry (of the value that *would* meet the criteria of their lost & found laws), well ..... so too could the same be said of the USA: In every single state here, there are also lost & found laws. Criteria for requirement to be turned in to the police, is usually something like $100 or $250. Yet ..... the last I checked .... this doesn't seem to be stopping USA hunters from hunting :?: :roll:

As far as cultural heritage, he didn't find anything in that, that wasn't intended (as you say) for obvious historic monuments, or raiding antiquities to smuggle, blah blah. Nothing has ever been applied to fumble fingers/hobbyist level stuff. And the best way to keep it that way, is to not make yourselves a big bullseye asking bored govt. people and archies there lots of "pressing questions" :)
 
That's good the government has nothing. All it takes is some noob from the states to go over there and rip up some park like a groundhog.

I have a 1964 coin with the Olympics rings on it, I wonder if it's silver?
 
Tom_in_CA said:
I asked the American business man in Japan this question. He said there is utterly no laws that specifically concern or address "metal detecting". The only thing his research pointed to, was issues like lost & found laws. Which in Japan is more a part of their culture. Like if someone leave cash on a subway seat, the next person will turn it in (or any valuable of any sort). But the value cutoff criteria is below any denominations of coins.

But as far as it goes for finding jewelry (of the value that *would* meet the criteria of their lost & found laws), well ..... so too could the same be said of the USA: In every single state here, there are also lost & found laws. Criteria for requirement to be turned in to the police, is usually something like $100 or $250. Yet ..... the last I checked .... this doesn't seem to be stopping USA hunters from hunting :?: :roll:

As far as cultural heritage, he didn't find anything in that, that wasn't intended (as you say) for obvious historic monuments, or raiding antiquities to smuggle, blah blah. Nothing has ever been applied to fumble fingers/hobbyist level stuff. And the best way to keep it that way, is to not make yourselves a big bullseye asking bored govt. people and archies there lots of "pressing questions" :)
Click to expand...

That is basically my understanding of the laws too. The lost and found laws would be the biggest issue but I read somewhere that the law applies to property found on the surface and not dug out of the ground or at least it is vague enough to be read that way.

I have talked to a lot of curious people who see me detecting including park workers and none of them have ever told me to stop. I am still careful and don't usually hunt busy areas except in the early mornings and night. I prefer to draw as little attention as possible and usually only show people my clad coins and lots of trash. I sometimes show them an old coin or two but most people are just wondering what the machine is and what I'm looking for.

I also think your safe detecting as long as you don't do it at temples or shrines and famous historical places. There are plenty of parks, trails and beaches all over Japan with old coins.
 
demyansk1942 said:
That's good the government has nothing. All it takes is some noob from the states to go over there and rip up some park like a groundhog.

I have a 1964 coin with the Olympics rings on it, I wonder if it's silver?
Click to expand...

Yeah, it would be bad if someone did enough damage to get on the news. Metal detecting is almost unknown in Japan now and thats the way I like it.

Japan issued a commerative ¥100 coin for the olympics in 1964. Is yours like this one?

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces9584.html

It is 60% silver.
 
Larbo said:
.... but I read somewhere that the law applies to property found on the surface and not dug out of the ground or at least it is vague enough to be read that way......
Click to expand...

Yes. That's the other thing this fellow had come up with.
 
Larbo said:
Yeah, it would be bad if someone did enough damage to get on the news. Metal detecting is almost unknown in Japan now and thats the way I like it.

Japan issued a commerative ¥100 coin for the olympics in 1964. Is yours like this one?

https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces9584.html

It is 60% silver.
Click to expand...
I think so, it's in the other room, I'll post a picture, got it at the Olympics.
 
They also had some ¥1000 commemorative coins for the 1964 Olympics and a lot of other stuff. I found a big commemorative bronze or copper medallion here but I couldn't identify it.
 
New Record

I went out for a few hours and already beat my old coin record. This is from a completely new place that I have never been before. I found 28 old coins including a 1949 5 yen which is the newest. The oldest is from 1636-1668.

The best find is two 50 sen from Taisho 13 (1924) and Showa 7 (1932). They are the first old Japanese silver coins I have found except for 1950's and 60's ¥100 and 1 mameita gin. I also found more kiseru bowls and stems than ever.

As you can see I am using an AT Pro. I like it a lot but I have been having a lot of problems with it recently. I had to buy a soldering iron to fix the headphones yesterday. Also the shaft is starting to lock up again. It it happened before but I finally got it loose. I just fixed the problem with the control box breaking off and I already sent the machine back to Garrett last year for a major electronics problem. I think it could be from the wet muddy conditions I hunt in sometimes.

Can anyone reccomend a detector that has the same waterproofness as well as the same capability without being too expensive? I need something that is reliable because I can't ship things back and forth from Japan all of the time and there is no support for any brands that I know of here.
 
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Awesome show !

Question for you: Where I'm at, here in CA, we get Japanese tourists. Because of nearby world-class golfing destinations. As such, I have occasionally run into Japanese tourists while hunting Carmel beach. And they'll sometimes come up, and in their best English they can muster, will ask: "What are you doing?". (they think I am a city worker doing some sort of job or something ?)

I try to explain by opening up my apron and showing them some coins, etc... A look of confusion always descends on them. As if they're thinking "why on earth would anyone do this ??" :?:

So it's as if it's in their culture to waste time on such things. Like they're more into work ethic versus triffle-play things, or whatever. Do you find this true in Japan ? Like where the average person meets this with confusion? As to why anyone would waste time in such a venture ?
 
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