(sold for $66.0)

1860, Japan, Meiji Emperor. Ni Bu (2 Bu) Gold Bar Coin. Scarce Variety! 3.13gm!

Mint Year: 1868-69 Denomination: Gold Ni Bu (Gold 2 Bu) Reference: KM-21c.2 (Manen Paulownia leaf type B!!), Friedberg 21. Condition: Minor creasing damage (small planchet cracks) in reverse, lightly wiped, otherwise VF+ Material: Gold (.229)   and Silver (.771) Diameter: 20mm (height) x 12 (width)  Weight: 3.13gm

For  your consideation an scarce japanese gold bar money coin, issued by the Meiji Emperor during 1860. This was the last type of such old-fashioned coins issued. After 1969 the minting of such coins was dismissed and Japan began to strike the round machine struck coins, just like we know them today. A decent specimen of this interesting coin type and a nice addition!

The Meiji Emperor (Meiji-tenno)   (3 November 1852 — 30 July 1912) or Meiji the Great was the 122nd   emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession,   reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death.

Like all his predecessors, since his death he has   been referred to by a posthumous name. Upon his death a new tradition of   giving the late emperor the name of the era coinciding with his reign   was established. Having ruled during the Meiji era (Enlightened rule), he is now known as Emperor Meiji. As this is not a personal name, more accurately he should be referred to as "the Meiji emperor".

His personal name was Mutsuhito, and although outside of Japan he is sometimes called by this name or Emperor Mutsuhito,   in Japan emperors are referred to only by their posthumous names. Use   of an emperor's personal name would be considered too familiar, or even   blasphemous.

At the time of his birth in 1852, Japan was an   isolated, pre-industrial, feudal country dominated by the Tokugawa   Shogunate and the daimyo, who ruled over the country's more than 250   decentralized domains. By the time of his death in 1912, Japan had   undergone a political, social, and industrial revolution at home (See Meiji Restoration) and emerged as one of the great powers on the world stage.

A detailed account of the State Funeral in the New York Times concluded with an observation: "The contrast between that which   preceded the funeral car and that which followed it was striking indeed.   Before it went old Japan; after it came new Japan."