 Japanese
Coins - Coins were introduced in 1870. There were
silver 5, 10, 20 and 50 sen and 1 yen, and gold 2, 5, 10 and
20 yen. Gold 1 yen were introduced in 1871, followed by
copper 1 rin, ½, 1 and 2 sen in 1873.
Cupronickel 5 sen coins were introduced in 1889. In 1897,
the silver 1 yen coin was demonetized and the sizes of the
gold coins were reduced by 50%, with 5, 10 and 20 yen coins
issued. In 1920, cupro-nickel 10 sen coins were introduced.
Production of silver coins ceased in 1938, after which a
variety of base metals were used to produced 1, 5 and 10 sen
coins during the Second World War. Clay 5 and 10 sen coins
were produced in 1945 but not issued for circulation.
After the war, brass 50 sen, 1 and 5 yen were introduced
between 1946 and 1948. In 1949, the current type of holed 5
yen was introduced, followed by bronze 10 yen (of the type
still in circulation) in 1951.
Coins in denominations of less than 1 yen became invalid on
December 31, 1953.
In 1955, the current type of aluminium 1 yen was introduced,
along with unholed, nickel 50 yen. In 1957, silver 100 yen
pieces were introduced. These were replaced in 1967 by the
current, cupro-nickel type, along with the holed 50 yen
coin. In 1982, the first 500 yen coins were introduced.
The date is on the reverse of all coins, and, in most cases,
the name 日本国, Nihonkoku (Japan) and the value in kanji is on
the obverse, except for the 5-yen where Nihonkoku is on the
reverse.
500 yen coins are probably the highest valued coins to be
used regularly in the world (with rates in the neighborhood
of US$4.10, €3.05, and £2.10). The United States'
largest-valued commonly-used coin (25¢) is worth around 26
yen; the Eurozone's largest (€2) is worth ¥279, and the
United Kingdom's largest (£2) is worth ¥402 (as of March
2005). The Swiss 5-franc coin is currently (as of April
2007) worth about ¥495. No doubt because of this high face
value, the 500 yen has been a favorite target for
counterfeiters. It was counterfeited to such an extent that
in 2000 a new series of coins was issued with various
security features. In spite of these changes, however,
counterfeiting continues.
On various occasions, commemorative coins are minted using
gold and silver with various face values, up to 100,000 yen.
Even though they can be used, they are treated as
collectibles.
Instead of displaying the A.D. year of mintage like most
nations' coins, yen coins instead display the year of the
current emperor's reign. For example, a coin minted in 2006
would bear the date Heisei 18 (the 18th year of Emperor
Akihito's reign).
Information source: “Japanese yen.” wikipedia.org. Article
date: 2 Feb. 2008. Retrieved: Wikipedia. 2 Feb. 2008 <Japanese
yen>. |
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