Status: U Return-Path: Received: from web5201.mail.yahoo.com ([216.115.106.95]) by osgood.mail.mindspring.net (Earthlink Mail Service) with SMTP id tgkrf2.e2r.37kbi1v for ; Tue, 22 May 2001 09:47:13 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <20010522134710.11020.qmail@web5201.mail.yahoo.com> Received: from [152.163.206.142] by web5201.mail.yahoo.com; Tue, 22 May 2001 06:47:10 PDT Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 06:47:10 -0700 (PDT) From: MPCgram Subject: MPCGram 345 To: MPCGram@Yahoo.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii ============================================== MPC Gram ============================================== Covering the Entire World of Military Numismatics ----------------------------------------------- Series 002-Number 345 Tuesday, May 22, 2001 THE GREATER EAST ASIA WAR MEDAL By Joe Boling The following is an exhibit I built so long ago that I had to scan the text off of the cards--they were typed on an IBM magnetic Selectric typewriter at WWMCCS DPCE, Heidelberg, in 1979. The exhibit is a one-case single-item exhibit that has won only first place awards (four times, including ANA in 1979), and has also been shown three times non-competitively (the last time in 1995 as part of the 60-case WWII exhibit mounted by your editor and me at the ANAheim convention). The medal referred to is SB151 under Japan (page 534). In the exhibit, the medal is accompanied by a life-size color photo of the reverse, plus color enlargements of both obverse and reverse, and one 1939 new year's card with a military theme. INTRODUCTION This exhibit presents one of the rarest of modern military medals--the Japanese medal for the Greater East Asia War (World War II in the Pacific). How it came to exist and why it is so rare today are explained below. THE JUGUN KISHO (WAR MEDALS) OF JAPAN In the 1870s, when Japan began emulating the major Western powers, she developed a system of decorations, war medals, and commemorative medals. The war medals are analogous to the campaign medals of the United States; one was authorized for each overseas conflict Japan fought. The first medal was for the expedition to Taiwan in 1872-73; the last was for the Greater East Asia War. Between these were such campaigns as the Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, the China Incident, and others. Each medal bears the words jugun kisho (war medal) in Japanese characters on the medal itself or, after 1901, on the ribbon bar. Each medal was authorized by Imperial edict, generally after its campaign had ended, and was issued to all participants; they were not used to recognize exceptional valor or service. Medals were awarded to the families of those who were eligible to receive them but had died before they were distributed. THE LAST WAR MEDAL--DAITOA SENSO JUGUN KISHO Background World War II started in the Pacific in 1937, when the Marco Polo Bridge incident precipitated full-scale war between Japan and China. A war medal was authorized for the "China Incident" in 1939 (one of the few medals authorized while its campaign was still in progress). With the bombing of Pearl Harbor, however, the Japanese marked the beginning of the Greater East Asia War. China Incident medals continued to be issued to troops serving in China, but there was no medal for those who went south--to Malaya, the Philippines, and beyond. On 21 June 1944 Imperial Edict 417 established a medal for those who served outside of China. Several thousand were struck at the Osaka mint and assembled by subcontractors, but in keeping with past practice the medals were not issued to troops and sailors still at war. Only a few posthumous awards were made (probably to the families of heroes receiving decorations at special ceremonies). Material and transportation shortages would have prevented a general issue in any event. When the war ended, most of the medals which had been struck were in storage at the mint; occupation authorities ordered them destroyed. Today the medal is very rare; there is no estimate of the number actually issued or saved from destruction. Fabric and design The medal ranks as one of the ugliest of awards. It was struck from the same alloy being used for Japanese coins in 1944 (93% tin, 7% zinc), an alloy that quickly tarnishes to a dull gray color. The ribbon is a bit more colorful. It is made of watered silk with three colors on each edge representing the Navy (dark blue), the Air Force (light blue), and the Army (dark green). The light green center seems to be a reversion to the green used on the earliest war medal ribbons, symbolic of grass and being a reminder of the "grass-cutting sword," one of the three Imperial treasures. Designed by Hinago Jitsuzo, the medal is not as artistic nor as interesting as those for the previous two campaigns (the Manchuria and China Incidents). The 30mm disc is surmounted by an eight-point radiate star, upon which are crossed swords and the Imperial sixteen-petal chrysanthemum crest. The swords are unusual; they are not curved and the hilts are not at all like Japanese sword hilts. They do, however, show fittings for carrying. The reverse is rather plain; it shows an ancient Japanese shield with the five characters Daitoa Senso (Greater East Asia War). No dates are given. The medal is unlike all previous Japanese war medals in that it is not suspended from a swivel hanger; the hanger is fixed directly to the medal. The hanger has a segmented design that may represent bamboo; the hangers of all previous war medals used vegetable designs. The ribbon bar is separate from the medal and carries the usual jugun kisho characters. All published illustrations of the medal show the bar inscription reading from left to right in Western format (the only war medal to use that format). The medal exhibited here uses the original character order of right to left. Why the two varieties exist is not known. Indeed, why the Western character order should have been adopted during the war is inexplicable, but it was also used from early 1943 on the postal savings certificates issued by the Japanese post office. I have concluded that the medal exhibited is an early piece that was probably issued (not liberated from the mint in 1945-46). CONCLUSION I wish this medal could tell us where it has been. Since the Japanese did not number or name their war medals, they are practically untraceable. This piece was purchased near San Francisco in 1976; its earlier travels are not known. It is a piece that should not exist, honoring a victory not won--a truly rare military medal. REFERENCES Nihon Kahei-sho Kyodo Kumiai (Japanese Numismatic Dealers' Association), Nihon Kahei Katarogu (Japanese Coin Catalog); author, Tokyo, 1979. Peterson, James W., Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States (O.M.S.A. Monograph Number 1); Orders and Medals Society of America, Chicago, 1967. Zoheikyoku Hyaku-nen-shi Henshu I-inkai (Mint Centennial History Compilation Board), Zohei 100- nen (Mint Centennial); author, Osaka, 1971. An Old Story By Ken Berger Here is a brief story that was told to me by a long-time (21 yrs) good friend & fellow coin (but not MPC) collector. When my friend was in the Navy, his sub pulled into Japan after a long deployment at sea. Upon getting shore leave, he immediately went into town to have some major R&R. Upon returning to the base early the next morning, he saw a goodly number of the local "ladies" with MPC in hand sticking them through the fence and trying to get the guys to change the MPC for them. My friend asked the guard at the gate what was going on and was told that it was an MPC conversion day. Now none of this seems odd or strange and, in fact, was a normal occurrence. However, it is the next part which is most interesting. Soon after all this transpired, my friend heard that a Filipino had been stopped at the Hong Kong airport, the day before the conversion day was called, and was found to be carrying a suitcase full of current (at that time) MPC worth close to a million dollars. If this is true, then it is a safe assumption (yes, I will assume even though in a previous letter I said we should not assume because it makes an a..., well you know), that the conversion was related to the discovery of the MPC being carried by the Filipino. Anyway, I relate this story as it was told to me and you, the reader, can judge it for what it's worth. =============================================== Editorial ---------------------------------------------------- The June Bank Note Reporter arrived yesterday. As always, that is an important event for me and I still have much to read or study therein. The scholarship fund got a nice plug with a story in the first half (page 13 I think). Of course I thought that it was a front page story, but, oh well, we must be happy to get every bit of publicity that we can. Truthfully, I am very pleased to see the release. Good job Marcus and BNR! =========================================== Mail Call ---------------------------------------------------- Dear Gram, I wait, somewhat patiently, for each day's MPC GRAM. David Dear Editor, Thanks to Marcus, you, and all the others that made the scholarship possible. And thanks to the MPCGram for stirring up my interest and making me want a scholarship! Jane will be coming with me to C Springs. Will Judy be attending? Regards, Warner Editor, I just wanted to say that I thought the article by Howard A. Daniel III was interesting and informative. It helps bring into perspective the ways in which MPC were used, especially to those of us who have never spent MPC (because we're way too young). I can relate to fighting off 10 or more women in a given night, but I have no experience in using MPC. Howard's story adds color to the picture we paint in our mind about the life and time when MPC was in use. More such stories should be encouraged. William E. Yanchick =================================================== Departments --------------------------------------------------- WWII numismatics seminar at ANA Summer Seminar 2001 --------------------------------------------------- Not only does the scholarship fund have an official identity but also has a bank account! Any further donations should be paid to the order of "Military Numismatists Scholarship" and sent to: Military Numismatists c/o Marcus Turner 8103 East US Highway 36 Suite 163 Avon, IN 46123 THE UPDATED LIST OF SCHOLARSHIP BENEFACTORS 3/22/01. These folks have generously provided money or material to finance scholarships to the ANA WWII Numismatics seminar. Your contributions will help promote collecting WWII material and be greatly appreciated. Many donations were received at CPMX and MPCFest. Mr. Anonymous Donor, Mike Cummings, Sue and Keith Bauman, Ed B., Doug Bell, Tom Denly, Continental Coin Invensor, Inc., Denly's, R. A. Medina, Harold “MPCKid” Kroll, Leo "Paymaster" May, Mrs. R.C. Matherne, Bill McNease, Marv Mericle, Mel and Jeremy Steinberg, Marcus Turner, Larry Ski, Guido, Fred, PK6, Joel Shafer, World Wide Ventures, Pam West, John and Nancy Wilson, Neil Shafer, W. E. Yanchick, Mark Watson, Al Glaser, Phil Goldstein, Rod Hardy, Wesley Hardy, Gary Hicks, Jack Lippincott, Ian Marshall, Kevin Maloy, David Seelye, Nick Schrier, Elmer Smith, Dan Swartz, Tom Warburton, Dick Freyser, Tim Kyzivat ==================================================== Post/Base Exchange (PX/BX/NEX) Dump your dupes! Your classified advertisement for items for sale will be run here for free. Send your ads to the gram. This service is for everyone, most humble dealer or most advanced collector. The point is to make the gram more interesting. Send in a list of items for sale and we will list them here in the gram. In all cases confirm your order via email first. FOR SALE Dump your dupes, make some bucks. Your items for sale will be listed in the Gram for FREE. Send your listings now. Believe it or not, your free ads are a service to the Gram! Yes, Gramsters like the ads so we need more of your ads of material for sale! MPC Series 681 50 cent Gem fresh, from a pack $20.00 domestic insured postpaid, confirm with coinman@rochester.rr.com. WANTED Collectors may submit lists of items wanted for their collections for listing here. Dealers and collectors who have these items are then encouraged to list them or sale in the above section. This is a trial, if you like it, send your list. =================================================== Staff: publisher and editor: Fred Schwan - fred@papermoneyworld.com; assistant editor - Phil Goldstein IWANTMYMPC@aol.com Tuesday columnist Joe Boling – JoeBoling@aol.com Thurski columnist Larry “Ski” Smulczenski – ski@papermoneyworld.com critic: Harold Kroll - MPCKid@papermoneyworld.com; index manager: Ed Beaman webmaster & technical advisor: Doug Bell - (Wiz): doug@papermoneyworld.com; The Boss: Judy Schwan ===== MPC Gram is published by BNR Press and papermoneyworld.com as a free service to the community of military money collectors. Your suggestions, criticisms, complaints, editorial contributions, letters, and even praise are very welcome. The entire contents including linked illustrations are copyright protected by the publishers. In the case of contributors, the copyright is protected on behalf of the creators. Please send all correspondence regarding the gram to MPCgram@yahoo.com. Thank you very much for your participation. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices http://auctions.yahoo.com/