Friday, June 25, 2010

SUMO WRESTLING COIN FROM TUVALU


Though professional Sumo tournaments have been going on in Japan for over 300 years, this Tuvalu 50 cent coin is the first coin that I know of to honor the traditional Japanese sport. The coin commemorates the Grand Sumo Tournament held in Hawaii in 2007. The object of the sport is to force an opponent outside of the ring or to have him touch the ground with some part of his body other than his feet. As might be expected, Sumo wrestlers tend to be very large. The coin, struck by the Perth Mint, features an unusual reverse frosting, so that the devices are bright and the fields are frosted. The reverse features a large wrestler, and the Japanese and Hawaiian flags. The obverse pictures Queen Elizabeth. The 2007 dated coin is 38.74mm in diameter and comes sealed in a special mint card.

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