JAPAN. Copper 2-1/2 Yen Pattern, Year 3 (1870). London (British Royal) Mint. Mutsuhito (Meiji). PCGS SPECIMEN-63 Brown.

KM-Pn17 var. (gold); JNDA-Unlisted; JC-Unlisted; Jacobs/Vermeule-Unlisted; Bank of Japan Collection-155 var. (gold). An exceptional example, this piece is one of the most difficult to find patterns in the Meiji series. The present specimen is one of two in this composition of copper to have been certified by PCGS, with this cataloger being only been able to find these two offered in two Japanese auctions. This particular denomination was never authorized for broader circulation, leaving the only examples as patterns in copper and gold. Overall brown in color, this example does occasionally pop with minty red flashes. The surfaces do not display much evidence of handling, making it quite likely to have been cherished from nearly the day of its manufacture. As a phenomenal RARITY, this example should demand much action on the auction block, perhaps far exceeding the bounds of the estimate.

Estimate: USD 20000-40000