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Post by Sakakibara Daitarou Akitou on Dec 8, 2012 19:23:10 GMT -5
So, I've been toying with the idea of replicating old Japanese coins from resin for use in SCA gambling. I think it would add a lot of flavor and a large stack of gold ryo would certainly look nice on anyone's side of the table. However, my issue is how to go about it.
For one, getting ahold of a oban/ryo or other coins (replica or otherwise) to make a die out of.
Secondly, painted resin would be the cheapest way to go but lacks that satisfying metallic clink.
Lastly, if I want to avoid the plastic clack, I'd need to cast them out of a cheap metal. I know nothing about what it takes to do that or even where to start minting my own coins.
Thoughts? Suggestions? Criticisms?
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Post by solveig on Dec 8, 2012 21:24:11 GMT -5
Noble Cousin! Greetings from Solveig! Have you considered buying replica coins from Japan? Try searching for 大判レプリカ (oban) and 小判レプリカ (koban) at amazon.co.jp They will each turn up several alternatives. I suggest going with the koban size as I think it may make for easier gambling. It may take several tries to find an Amazon marketplace vendor which ships outside of Japan. Another vendor which ships internationally is rakuten.co.jp Unfortunately, rakuten only reported one result for my search and it was pricey. You can also sometimes find pictures of historic coins in kogojiten (a kind of dictionary for premodern Japanese). If you decide to order from Japan. 素材：真鍮製 means that it is made out of brass 素材：プラスティック means that it is made out of plastic Either buy enough replicas from Japan or consider either of two methods: casting and striking for manufacturing duplicates. Either of these will involve producing a die which will stand up to the manufacturing process. People have manufactured metal tokens for SCA use in the past. You might try asking around on one of the A&S mailing lists to find someone who has done it before. Good luck with your project. Note. I recall hearing that there is some problem with SCA Corporate about using tokens at events. So, check with your local establishment before putting a lot of money into your project. Note. If you search amazon.co.jp for B001DYYIOG you should turn up a stack of 10 one ryo koban coins made out of brass. Note. If you search amazon.co.jp for KISNS61574 you should turn up a stack of 100 one ryo koban coins made out of plastic. Please note that these are smaller and significantly thicker than the brass coins mentioned above. Also their design may be less accurate as these appear to be for the juvenile toy market. |
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Post by Yawata Saburou Tadamori on Dec 9, 2012 0:42:22 GMT -5
I am in the Middle Kingdom, and we gamble primarily with pewter coins.
I have seen "gold coins" be made by making pewter coins then painting them with a very light coating of gold.
What I would do is get a picture of ryo and get their dimensions. Maybe buy a couple actual ones to work off of.
Then carve a mold out of soapstone or plaster. Cast the coins in pewter, have gold paint ready and with a very small brush paint the gold on.
I have not made "gold" coins, or japanese ones. But I make coins with my and other's names or heraldry on it.
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AJBryant
New Member
甲冑師 katchuu-shi
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Post by AJBryant on Dec 9, 2012 1:31:37 GMT -5
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Post by Sakakibara Daitarou Akitou on Dec 9, 2012 2:01:28 GMT -5
Lots of fantastic info here! I really appreciate it!
@yawata-dono, How much do you estimate 17g of pewter would cost? Actual gold ryo weighed 16.5g and I'm not sure how pewter and gold differ in weight, but I assume 17g should get me within the ball park in terms of cost. Just kinda getting an idea of what I'm getting in to.
If cost is relatively low, I can start pumping these bad boys out and then make a senryobako. I'd love the see people's eyes light up when I thunk that sucker on a table and crack it open.
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Post by Yawata Saburou Tadamori on Dec 9, 2012 6:51:27 GMT -5
I buy online and can usually get 2lbs. of pewter for 35 dollars. no clue what that is in grams. Pewter is ridiculously cheap, that's why we use it.
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Post by Yawata Saburou Tadamori on Dec 9, 2012 6:52:37 GMT -5
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Post by Sakakibara Daitarou Akitou on Dec 10, 2012 1:05:12 GMT -5
That's fantastic! 2lbs of pewter would get me about 55 coins, assuming there is little weight difference between gold and pewter. How well do you think a plaster would would fair with hot pewter? I need a pressed mold to get the features of the coin to be prominent. If plaster is no good, anything else I could try? This is a koban (10 ryo), but you can see the delicate ribbing and stampings on the plate. I'd like to preserve those as best as possible. Naturally, the design will have to be hand painted. That's no biggie.  |
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Post by Yawata Saburou Tadamori on Dec 10, 2012 1:28:38 GMT -5
With the small size of the mon on that i would reccomend soapstone for the mold, instead of plaster. its much easier to make very small designs in soapstone.
Plaster actually hold sup very well. a good plaster mold gives me about 100 pressings, soapstone usually gives me 2-3 hundred
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Post by Sakakibara Daitarou Akitou on Dec 10, 2012 2:05:01 GMT -5
How, exactly, would I transfer the image on to soapstone?  |
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Post by Yawata Saburou Tadamori on Dec 10, 2012 2:55:40 GMT -5
carve it
You buy a piece of soapstone, sand it until it's nice and flat, then carve the ryo into the soapstone along with a "sloo" from the mold to the outside of the stone, so that you can pour the melted pewter into it. If you want to make a two-sided coin, you do both sides on two pieces of stone, if only one-sided you put a flat piece against the carved piece when pouring.
I will take some pictures of the coins i have made, and i believe i have some of my older molds i can show as well.
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Post by Yawata Saburou Tadamori on Dec 10, 2012 20:43:57 GMT -5
 That is the picture of one of my recent molds. you can see the sloo which i pour the melted pewter down. this is for a one-sided coin, so i put this against a flat piece of plaster or hardwood, and pour from there.  This is two coins I have, I did not make either The left one is a two-sided coin used for my current baronage's elevation ceremony. The right is a one-sided coin, this is the back. |
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Post by Sakakibara Daitarou Akitou on Dec 11, 2012 0:11:46 GMT -5
Ah! I see! I don't trust my hands to be able to carve a good looking mold, but I guess there's only one way to find out! Thanks so much for the help! Even if I don't use the coins for gambling, I can make an uchi-bukuro and put a bunch in there for persona flavor.
One last thing and I think I'll be all set to start this project:
Naturally, the koban I posted above is gold. Is there a what to "dye" the pewter gold-ish before pouring?
I'd like to avoid paint as it can fill in the subtle detail on the coin and would be guaranteed to start chipping off at some point due to handling and be tossed about with other trinkets.
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Post by Yawata Saburou Tadamori on Dec 11, 2012 0:35:05 GMT -5
I don't think so. you melt the pewter, there may be. But I am not an expert
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Post by Sakakibara Daitarou Akitou on Dec 11, 2012 0:55:37 GMT -5
Fair enough! Thanks, again!
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