Great East Asia War Medal

[Dieter3]

Just wondering what might about this one might fetched 64,000 yen? Yeah, it's not the run-of-the-mill veteran replica in the plastic cases like you typically see. I guess that must be why?? Neat piece no doubt. Thoughts???

[fukuoka]

Not sure, but it appears someone mistook this replica for an original.

[Dieter3]

Yikes! i was wondering if that could have been the case, but then was somewhat shocked at the LOW price if that was it. The hook and eye are definitely of a different flavor than the more commonly available ones, as is the case obviously. There must have been several makers of these awards, there are simply too many variants.

[fukuoka]

Yikes! i was wondering if that could have been the case, but then was somewhat shocked at the LOW price if that was it. The hook and eye are definitely of a different flavor than the more commonly available ones, as is the case obviously. There must have been several makers of these awards, there are simply too many variants.

Well, I've seen 2 originals at auction here in Japan in the past 15 or so years, and they both finished at 50,000 to 60,000 yen.

And, yes, a multitude of variants exist for the replicas. The best are the pure silver medals, IMO.

Cheers,

Rich

[Dieter3]

Isn't that a low price an original??

[fukuoka]

Isn't that a low price an original??

One would think so, but since those are the only two I have seen for sale, I suppose that was a fair price for the time. The most recent I saw was about four years ago. Perhaps one would fetch more these days.

[DRB 1643]

One would think so, but since those are the only two I have seen for sale, I suppose that was a fair price for the time. The most recent I saw was about four years ago. Perhaps one would fetch more these days.

What do you guys think of this one? I bought it in the mid 1990's from a big collector on Long Island NY. I was told it was an original. Thanks for any and all comments.

I'll add the reverse picture in another post since it was too big to upload.

Tom

[DRB 1643]

What do you guys think of this one? I bought it in the mid 1990's from a big collector on Long Island NY. I was told it was an original. Thanks for any and all comments.

I'll add the reverse picture in another post since it was too big to upload.

Tom

Here is the reverse.

Thank you

[fukuoka]

Here is the reverse.

Thank you

Since the inscription on the decorative bar is not in the reverse order, this is a replica according to Peterson. Hope you didn't pay too much.

Cheers,

Rich

[Paul L Murphy]

Since the inscription on the decorative bar is not in the reverse order, this is a replica according to Peterson. Hope you didn't pay too much.

Cheers,

Rich

I disagree with Peterson on this point since the example sold from the American numismatic Collection (which was put in there in 1946 by a returning US officer) had the inscription in the same order as previous War Medals. I am aware of at least two other pieces from collections assembled at the end of WWII where the inscription is the same.

[Dieter3]

Well, to build on Paul's point as well, don't the original Imperial Ordinance line drawings have the writing the same way as you pretty much find on all of these medals? Plus, the wording in Peterson - "......but in this case written left to right." Does he indeed imply that they were all this way, or just the particular example shown in his photos?? I would think it implies all of them, but seems contradictory to the line drawings. Why would this be changed?

[fukuoka]

Well, to build on Paul's point as well, don't the original Imperial Ordinance line drawings have the writing the same way as you pretty much find on all of these medals? Plus, the wording in Peterson - "......but in this case written left to right." Does he indeed imply that they were all this way, or just the particular example shown in his photos?? I would think it implies all of them, but seems contradictory to the line drawings. Why would this be changed?

Thanks for pointing out something that was in my own ebook! I just have that knee-jerk reaction that if an idea was written in a book, it must be right!

Peterson has been shown wrong on a few other points, too, which is understandable. So this point is also inaccurate. And Dieter is correct in saying that the official ordinance has a drawing of the right-to-left order. So now we can be sure we need to look at other identifying marks. The problem is--what are those? The ordinance also states that these were made of tin, so those somewhat skilled in metallurgy should have no difficulty excluding a number of copies.

As for other hints of authenticity, what might they be?

Cheers,

Rich

[Dieter3]

Well, referring back to the line drawings (that I did indeed get from your eBook.... ) - the only other thing that seems of use is the design of the hook and catch - but I don't know how significant that is or not. What would make sense? That the makers would likely stick to what was typically in use at the time and I guess the next closest thing would be the China Incident medal, no? So the medal that DRB1643 has pictured here certainly resembles the line drawings - as opposed to the one I showed at the top of the post - the hook and catch are clearly different. But is that significant of anything?

The replicas certainly seem obvious, but having never handled nor seen an original (that I'm aware of), the one DRB shows draws a big "I don't know!" from me....

[DRB 1643]

Well, referring back to the line drawings (that I did indeed get from your eBook.... ) - the only other thing that seems of use is the design of the hook and catch - but I don't know how significant that is or not. What would make sense? That the makers would likely stick to what was typically in use at the time and I guess the next closest thing would be the China Incident medal, no? So the medal that DRB1643 has pictured here certainly resembles the line drawings - as opposed to the one I showed at the top of the post - the hook and catch are clearly different. But is that significant of anything?

The replicas certainly seem obvious, but having never handled nor seen an original (that I'm aware of), the one DRB shows draws a big "I don't know!" from me....

Hi All,

I don't know either! I bought this medal like I said in the mid 1990's, thinking it was an original. It came from a big Japanese collector on Long Island NY who reports he aquired it in the early 1950's. His collection also included a Marshal's Badge which he sold to two gentlemen from Japan in the mid 1970's for $5000. The gentlemen from Japan didn't believe the Marshal's Badge was authentic until they saw it. Anyway it's anyones guess if this particular Great East Asia War Medal is authentic or not. I realize there isn't any definitive test one way or the other.

Thank you,

Tom