Picture Coin Ikan Koma ☆ Old Cast / Koma-hiki / Lucky Coin / Amulet Coin / Toy Coin / Enchantment Coin / e1225-3 ◎ Name: Picture Coin Ikan Koma ◎ Issuing Country: Japan ◎ Issuing Year: Edo Period ◎ Size: Diameter 22.6mm, Thickness 1mm ◎ Weight: 2.85g ◎ Purity: Copper ◎ Number Issued: Unknown ◎ Condition: Fair / Shows age and wear (see photos) (Reference Materials) "Ikan Koma" in picture coins is understood as a sub-type of Koma-hiki coins, referring to picture coins with a design that combines a figure in formal court attire (Ikan) and a horse (Koma). ☆ Classification of Picture Coins and Koma-hiki Coins Picture coins, while taking the form of currency, are not currency but are a general term for folk material metal products used as toys, lucky charms, amulets, and souvenirs. Among them, those depicting horses are called "Koma-hiki coins (koma-hiki/komabiki-sen)," and are categorized into several types, including "Tazuna Koma," "Hyotan Koma," "Saru-hiki Koma," "Saru-nori Koma," "Momo-zaru Koma," "Tawara Koma," "Ikan Koma," and "Wado Koma." ☆ Design Features of Ikan Koma Ikan Koma, among Koma-hiki coins, is a type in which a person is depicted with a horse, and the person is represented in the style of Ikan (formal court attire, such as Sokutai or Naoshi) of a court noble or high-ranking person. In reality, examples have been reported where the base metal is in the style of old Kanei Tsuho, with a figure in Ikan and a horse on one side, combined with inscriptions, auspicious characters, and wave patterns corresponding to their arrangement. It is sometimes treated as a rare item of Kanei Tsuho and a picture coin as "Ikan Koma Kanei." ☆ Background of Belief and Symbolism As a common underlying layer for Koma-hiki coins in general, the horse is interpreted as a "vehicle of the gods," symbolizing the crossing of boundaries, the journey to another world, and communication with the spirits. By combining this with the figure in Ikan, the nobility, authority, and auspiciousness are overlaid with the sacredness of the horse, and it is believed to have functioned as an amulet and a good luck charm, imbuing various auspicious meanings such as financial luck, success, and safe travel. ☆ Period and Classification of Ikan Koma Koma-hiki coins themselves flourished mainly during the Edo period, and picture coins as a whole were produced over a long period from the late Muromachi period to the Taisho and early Showa periods. Among them, Ikan Koma is considered a type name that was classified relatively late. In the classification of collectors and researchers, it is placed in the boundary area with rare Koma-hiki designs and Kanei Tsuho-type secret cast coins and picture coins, and is often listed as one of the sub-classifications of Koma-hiki coins in catalogs. Type...Other Main Material...Copper