A fantastic example of a Tenpo (Tempo) Era gold Koban, with subtle rim toning enhancing its eye appeal.
These large, distinctively shaped gold coins are the epitome of Japanese Edo period currency.
Note that the fine hairlines on this (and all standard Koban) are a result of the minting process. One of the final stages of the minting process was to polish them with river water, which allowed fine sand to create these hairlines. PCGS and other graders do not consider this cleaning or scratches. The "scratch" designation on this example is because the scratches are more numerous or some scratches are larger than average.
