Japanese Menko Never-ending ID Thread...
 

Hi there, I have just started collecting Japanese Menkos, and of course am running into identification issues. Anyone want to help?

The first pair look like they belong in the JCM 12 or 43 series (1960 Marusan Simple Back). However, I can't find a match (the issue I'm seeing is that the position is in parentheses). Am I missing something, or should I chalk it up to my "uncatalogued" category?

https://i.ibb.co/61drpTv/Menko-ID-1.jpg

The next two I feel more comfortable about, but want to double-check. I think the left one is from JCM43e (the b&w one), but I don't clearly see which player. The one on the right I think is JCM12e - I think 315000 Hamanaka?

https://i.ibb.co/3Rp77mJ/Menko-ID-2.jpg

And the final group, I think are both from JCM12d. I think I've got 190000 Hakota and 400100 Kuroki. Does that look right?

https://i.ibb.co/0M1Xw7V/Menko-ID-3.jpg

So far it's been fun getting into the depths of Menko collecting. But this specific series has been the most frustrating for me to figure out so far. The colorful earlier cards are much easier for me to figure out. But of course I'll have to start an "Uncatalogued" thread to share as well....

Yeah, in terms of players you've got:

Top picture: Kondo and Kuroki

Middle picture: Ooishi and Hamanaka

Bottom picture: Hakota and Kuroki

Those sets are really hard to keep track of, but basically with the player name and number on back combination it should be easy to figure out which set they belong to!

Sean any chance you know the date of this Mifune? I only have 1950s for it. Thanks.

Oh that is a beautiful Mifune.

Unfortunately I can't put a date on it (but would agree with the "1950s" ballpark). With non-sports menko its almost impossible to narrow it down. With the baseball sets they were able to do it by the teams players were depicted with, but its hard to do the same thing with non-sports ones (which also don't have a catalogue yet).

The text on it says "Shichinin no Samurai", the Japanese title for Seven Samurai, so it would have to date to after 1954 (and might be close to that year since they usually made menko based on whatever was popular at the time).

Many thanks. I bought it from a Japanese seller but they weren't sure of the date. An actor who may never get his due.

Agreed that he doesn't get his due!

Some I am trying to ID

https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ize/img101.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ize/img102.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ize/img103.jpg
https://photos.imageevent.com/exhibi...ize/img104.jpg

Thanks for the help! I've gone through another large pile of Menkos, and again had trouble with a number from this JCM12 set. (But I did figure out a dozen or so on my own!)

Any help with these?
Group 1:
https://i.ibb.co/Wsnpf0f/Menko-ID4.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/zbjgBQv/Menko1.jpg

Group 2:
https://i.ibb.co/ydyYSkY/Menko-ID5.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/syBKwvc/Menko2.jpg

Group 3 (this one is more fun - the playing card looks familiar, but I can't place it)
https://i.ibb.co/fqv3H70/MenkoID6.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/3Mjd8Lk/menko3.jpg

jjbond:

In Group 2 you've got Mike Solomko on the left, and in Group 3 you've got Hidefumi Kawamura (Hiroshima) on the left and on that four player card I recognize Tadashi Sugiura (Hall of Fame pitcher for the Hawks) on the lower left.

Its a bit hard to read the kanji on the other ones without higher resolution scans.

Adam:

For sumo cards you should contact Ryan Laughton (AKA Sumomenkoman) who wrote the guide on them (and is a great guy). He has a blog here: https://sumocards.blogspot.com/

Thanks - I posted bigger pics, but if needed I'll try to get better lighting. (some of those cards seem to like printing black text on almost-black background...).
Still can't find that first card in group 3 (you say is Hidefumi Kawamura w/ 906381 back) in the JCM14 sets....


Adam - the baseball one looks like JCM119: 1950 Maruman - Noboru Aota

That makes it a bit easier！
Group 1:
Tamiya, Oozaki, Hasegawa

Group 2:
Solomko, (black on black makes the name on the middle one hard to read, but an outfielder for Kokutetsu), Miyake

Thanks

Thanks! Those first two ended up being in JCM10.

Haven't found that black-on-black - looks like the first character is Kami? I'm also failing to find a Swallows player with 300100. Think I'll just add these remaining cards to my "mystery" pile to revisit later.

Ok, new batch of unknown menkos. Some of these aren't in the guide, but I'd at least like to figure out the player names (which I find easier to do if I have a list....)

Up first is JCM 2 Blue Baseball Back. Both have the same back (2465x56) so I assume one is Juzo Sanada...
https://i.ibb.co/zRrX2Rq/menko1.jpg

Then we have 2 JCM 74 Pastels:
https://i.ibb.co/RYnH6G9/IMG-6520.jpg

Next is JCM 115 Pillar:
https://i.ibb.co/FBRcGz7/menko2.jpg

Now we have JCM 181 Animal Back:
https://i.ibb.co/gFhXZ2T/Menko3.jpg

Onto the rounds. The first is JRM 23 College/Pro (902-59??), then JRM 24 Math Equation in Circle (107+43?), and finally JRM 27 Team Name Back with its back (2306):
https://i.ibb.co/Tm0ThbS/Menko4.jpg