It’s good to see an increased amount of interest in the ancient and medieval worlds that isn’t centred on Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. After years of Greek, Roman and Egyptian themed subjects taking the lions share of numismatic attention, we’re finally seeing producers look further afield. Continuing that trend, Truney Precious Metals have debuted the first in their new three-coin series looking at the pivotal figures of Japans Sengoku period.

Known as the “Age of Warring States” and encompassing the period from around 1467 -1600 AD, this was a time of great internal conflict and political upheaval in Japan. It is defined as a period in which the countries feudal system had collapsed, initiated by the Ōnin War and ended by its reintroduction under the shogunate of Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Obviously a fascinating subject for a coin series, Truney have chosen legendary Samurai warrior Uesugi Kenshin as the headliner of the first issue. A daimyō born on February 18, 1530, he had an enviable military career, losing only twice in the 71 biggest battles he fought. The most famous of them all were the battles of Kawanakajima fought against his only serious rival, Takeda Shingen of Kai Province. There were five major battles there between 1553 and 1564, the most famous of which was the fourth at Hachimanbara in 1561. Depicting Kenshin on horseback in full charge with his army around him, this is an action-packed design that seems to take inspiration from the epic Japanese movies and TV series about the period. A little light gilding of the Kanji symbols is a nice subtle touch on this high-relief antiqued face. The obverse is a mix of landscape scenes, a map of Japan, and the family crest of the Uesagi family,

All told, an excellent issue and at an ounce in weight, considerably more affordable than the many Mint of Poland 2oz coins on the market with associated subjects. It comes boxed with a Certificate of Authenticity, of course, and as you can see from the images, there have been no compromises made for the lighter weight, especially as it still hits a healthy enough 40mm in diameter. Available to pre-order from Truney, from distributor Powercoin, and no doubt from other dealers shortly, it will start to ship around years end. The second issue will feature Uesagi’s arch-rival, Takeda Shingen, with the third planned to be of a different format that will tie the set together in its own presentation box.