1940 Sensou 4 Set

    Description:  This is the earliest non-human, non-rikishi series menko sets I've seen.  This set is a "pre-war" set which are extremely difficult to find since the Japanese had paper drives during the war and many menko were turned in to support the war effort.  Also, many menko were lost to fires from air raids over Japan during the war.  This set features future Yokozuna Akinoumi as a Sekiwake!  Menko have a war theme on the back which is typical of this era.  Japan hadn't lost the war yet when these menko were produced as there are no American themes on the menko backs such as American flags or American soldiers.

    Company: Unknown                                                 Availability: Extremely Rare

    Card Size: 1.75" x 2.50"                                           Card Material:  Thin paper stock 

     # of Cards in set: 5+                                                Packaging: Taba

    Key Cards:  Any Yokozuna

    Winner Stamp Description: Unknown  

    Front Design:  This set features a color photograph of the rikishi in their kesho-mawashi.  Shikona is in the upper right and rikishi's statistics are in the upper left.

   Back Design:  A picture of a battle scene is in the center of the card with the Gu-Choki-Pa underneath that.  There is a 4 digit Fighting Number at the very bottom.  Menko backs were printed in blue, green or brown ink.

Banzuke Checklist						Numerical Checklist
Rank	Shikona	Fighting #	Front	Back		Rank	Shikona	Fighting #
Yokozuna						Maegashira	Hishuzan	9730
Ozeki						Maegashira	Kasagiyama	7357
Sekiwake	Akinoumi	6804				Sekiwake	Akinoumi	6804
						Maegashira	Fujinosato	6273
						Maegashira	Tatekabuto	6273
Komusubi
Maegashira	Hishuzan	9730
Maegashira	Fujinosato	6273
Maegashira	Kasagiyama	7357
Maegashira	Tatekabuto	6273