Owner Comments:
Composition: Pure Silver
Face Value: 1,000 Yen
Weight: 31.1 grams
Diameter: 40.0 mm
Edge: Helical Ridges
Finish: Proof / Color Printing
Mintage: 100,000 /each prefecture
Common Reverse Design:
- Snow Crystals, Moon and Cherry Blossoms
- Latent image technology is applied to the center of the largest snow crystal to make letters of “47″ representing the number of prefectures in Japan, and “60″ representing the 60th Anniversary of Enforcement of the Local Autonomy Law appear alternately when viewed from different angles.
Summary of Gunma Prefecture
Capital City: Maebashi
Population in 2010 (thousands): 2,008
Area (square km): 6,362
Gunma Coin
1000 yen silver coin
(Obverse design: Tomioka Silk Mill and Female Worker)
Tomioka Silk Mill: Tomioka Silk Mill was established in 1872 by the Japanese government, with an aim to realize the mass-production of the silk, as well as to improve the quality of this principal export item of Japan at that time. It was equipped with the Western silk-reeling technology, and became a model for other silk mills founded in various regions after that. It had been working also on the breed improvement of silkworms, and played a central role in developing the silk industry in Japan. The original main buildings, such as East Cocoon Warehouse, are still well preserved, though it finished the operation in 1987. It was designated as a National Historic Site in 2007, and as a National Important Cultural Property in 2008.
Female Worker: It is said that more than 400 women workers recruited from all over Japan had learned the techniques of machine-reeling here and became leaders of silk industries in their home towns with great contributions.