Opinions on this "number" please

[John C]

Hello:

Do you all think the top number was changed to a ten or is it not a number at all? ? 2 5 5 3, or 12 5 5 3?

Thank you for taking a look,

John C.

[Bruce Pennington]

It's a kanji, but the translation guys will have to chime in.  I have seen a few painted numbers that started with a kanji over the years.

[george trotter]

It looks like HYO, BYO, HEI (level, even, plain etc...). Hei can mean peaceful, as in Taiheiyo (great peaceful sea - Pacific to us) and it is also the name TAIRA.

Seems like there is an older number painted in red underneath...maybe 72 ?

[SteveM]

Yeah, to me it looks like 平二五五三, and I would assume the 平 to be either some means of lot identification, or the first kanji character of the name of the person doing the assembly. In addition to what George posted above, it can also be read as ”Hira" when used in combination with other kanji, and it is a common component of last names: Hirado, Hirakawa, Hirano, etc.... 

[John C]

Thank you guys very much!!

And @george trotter it comes from an Ando Kanemoto blade that has no stamps at all.

 

John C.