1964 Blue Tawara 5 Set

    Description:  This is one of the newest menko sets that I know of and was printed at the end of the sumo menko era.  The "Tawara" series of menko produced by the Marushyou Gangu Company are quite confusing as they made around 6 sets of cards between 1957 and 1964 with identical backs.  This particular set has a grey back and has really good production quality.  The colors are vivid and crisp.  There is no rank information on the front of the menko so it's a challenge to figure out what set they belong to.  One nice feature of the "Tawara" sets is they typically feature a lot of low ranking rikishi. 

    Company: Marushyou                                    Availability: Rare

    Card Size: 2.0" X 4.00"                                   Card Material: Thin, Paper Stock

    # of Cards: 6+                                               Packaging: Sheets

   Key Cards: Any Yokozuna

  Winner Stamp Description: Unknown

   Front Design:  Most of the menko show the Rikishi standing in their kesho mawashi.  Shikona is vertical.

   Back Design:  The rikishi's statistics are printed vertically on the back with tawara on the top and left.  A Gu-Choki-Pa is on the bottom right with a 5 digit fighting number on the bottom.  Backs are printed in grey ink.

Taiho
Banzuke Checklist					Numerical Checklist
Rank	Shikona	Fighting  #			Rank	Shikona	Fighting #
Yokozuna	Taiho	63700			Maegashira	Wakachichibu	90205
Ozeki	Sadanoyama	70501			Maegashira	Myobudani	71500
Ozeki	Tochihikari	56001			Ozeki	Sadanoyama	70501
Sekiwake	Daigo	41201			Yokozuna	Taiho	63700
Komusubi					Ozeki	Tochihikari	56001
Maegashira	Wakachichibu	90205			Sekiwake	Daigo	41201
Maegashira	Myobudani	71500