Return of Okinawa medal - give me more info

[marrauder]

Hello gents,

Can you give me more info about Return of Okinawa medal? I think it is one of the most beautiful japanese medals, although it is only commemorative table piece. Always saw it in bronze, but once also in silver alloy. I am not sure if it was variant, or just fake.

Thanks in advance for any additional info/links.

[JapanX]

... Return of Okinawa medal...

I wonder...

Could you post some pics?

Cause I don't understand about what medal we are talking about.

As for the bronze and silver versions - in table medals bronze version is for soldiers and silver is for officers.

"Usually" it is

Cheers,

Nick

[fukuoka]

Nick, not sure what table medals you are talking about, but all the ones I have seen have been sold through dept stores such as Mitsukoshi. Nothing to do with rank since these were never awarded--just how much someone was willing to pay. Silver medals cost more than bronze. All the Japan Mint table medals were offered for sale to the general public.

As for the Okinawa medal, that too was offered for sale as a commemorative. Not sure what kind of info is wanted.

[marrauder]

Nick,

I mean commemorative medal of return of Okinawa, which was occupied by Americans since the end of ww2 and given back to Japan in 1972.

I would like to know numbers awarded, to whom it was given and the types that were issued. As I told, I have always seen bronze version, now I have found something that looks like silver piece, with hallmarks on reverse.

Here is obverse of bronze piece.

[marrauder]

Wonderful reverse. Btw, Medal is about 6 cm in diameter and quite thick (about 1 cm).

Edited May 29, 2012 by marrauder

[marrauder]

Here is the silver (silver alloy?) piece. Note the hallmarks on the reverse (flag and number 1000).

Regards, Miro

[JapanX]

Nick, not sure what table medals you are talking about ...

Well, like "Homma Medal" for capture of the Philippins for example

[JapanX]

Nick,

I mean commemorative medal of return of Okinawa, which was occupied by Americans since the end of ww2 and given back to Japan in 1972.

I would like to know numbers awarded, to whom it was given and the types that were issued. As I told, I have always seen bronze version, now I have found something that looks like silver piece, with hallmarks on reverse.

Here is obverse of bronze piece.

Got you mate!

Rich is 100% right about commemorative table medals practice.

1000 sound like silver marks to me

But medal itself looks like it was made in silver alloy (at best) ...

Nice medal indeed!

Regards,

Nick

[fukuoka]

The Okinawa medal was sold at stores, not awarded to anyone. Made in silver and bronze, as noted. I don't know the numbers made, but I have seen them very often. The bronze ones have little monetary value ($10 USD in Japan), so I suspect they were made in fairly large quantities. The silver medals have the metal content that adds to the value.

[marrauder]

Thanks for info. Ebay prize is about 35 dollars for bronze piece and 70 for silver. From this I knew it would not be very rare, but I noticed only two auctions in a year (two for bronze, one for silver), so I am quite surprised to hear it is such common piece. It changes nothing on the fact that it is beautiful work and must have for me.

Got you mate!

Still waiting for some "Return of Sakhalin" medal, hehe.

[JapanX]

Still waiting for some "Return of Sakhalin" medal, hehe.

Fat chance

But they should definitely mint this one because there is strong demand for such fantasy trinkets :lol:

Edited May 30, 2012 by JapanX

[marrauder]

Yes, I bet you it would be from the same series as "Return of Koenigsberg" medal, hehehe.

[JapanX]

Specially For Miro

In bronze

[JapanX]

Interior inscription

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

Detail

[JapanX]

In silver

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

Silver marks

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

[JapanX]

Interior inscription

[JapanX]

Now let`s compare them

Boxes (above is the box for bronze medal)

[JapanX]