| Slot: |
Meiji, 5 sen, sun+dragon, 1870-1871 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
5S M3(1870) SHALLOW SCALES |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 64 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-33. Dragon obverse and rising sun reverse. These motifs were represented by all the silver denominations produced in the years 1870-1871.
Shallow and deep scale variants exist, with the deep being the more difficult to obtain.
16.15 mm in diameter, 0.800 fine silver, weight 1.25 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 5 sen character, sun, 1871 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
5S M4(1871) 53 RAYS |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 65 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-34. 1871 saw a second design in the 5 sen denomination--the 'large character' obverse replacing the dragon motif, while retaining the 'rising sun' reverse.
The coin has two varieties with relation to how many rays are around the sun, how many beads encircle the sun, and with difference in some of the foliage appearance.
Specifically, there are the 53 rays/65 beads, vs. 66 rays/79 beads. Rather than counting I find it much easier to look and see if the beads are touching or not.
16.15 mm diameter, 0.800 fineness, and 1.25 gram weight (unchanged vs. the prior design).
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 10 sen, sun+dragon, 1870 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
10S M3(1870) SHALLOW SCALES |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 65 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-23. Dragon obverse and rising sun reverse motifs.
Shallow and deep scale variants exist, with the deeper type being the later design and more difficult to obtain.
17.57 mm in diameter, .800 fine silver, weight 2.5 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 20 sen, sun+dragon, 1870-1871 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
20S M4(1871) |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 67 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-20. The 1870-1871 20 sen coin is similar to the other silver denominations with the dragon obverse and rising sun reverse motifs. 1870 is notable for a shallow and deep scale variety.
1871 has two variants where a portion of the sen character is weak and is either 'complete' or 'incomplete'. This is the complete variety.
24.0 mm in diameter, 0.800 fine silver, weight 5.00 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 50 sen, sun+dragon large size, 1870-1871 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
50S M3(1870) |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 65 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-13. Dragon obverse and rising sun reverse.
For this denomination there is no 'shallow' scale version or any other variant listed for year 3 in the JNDA.
The JNDA does note a variant for year 4 with regard to the shape of one of the character strokes.
After the initial minting the 50 sen was subsequently given a smaller diameter (same weight) which is the next type, JNDA 01-13A.
31.51 mm in diameter, .800 fine silver, weight 12.5 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 50 sen, sun+dragon small size, 1871 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
50S M4(1871) 19mm DRAGON CIRCLE |
| Grade: |
PCGS MS 65 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-13A. Continues the dragon and rising sun motifs, but now with a reduced coin diameter. The weight remains the same as the prior JNDA 01-13. This JNDA number encompasses two varieties that have individual Y#s.
The two varieties are based on the diameter of the beaded circle around the dragon figure. Other than an actual measurement the primary mode of differentiating the two types is how many spines a specific flame extends (reflecting the 21 vs. 19 mm measurement of the beaded circle). The more common type (Y# 4a.1) is the 19 mm and shows three spines cleared. The less common (Y# 4a.2) only clears 2 spines fully. Spine shape and location is a secondary feature.
If you think you are looking at a 2 spine version, it is more likely you are seeing the larger diameter coin (JNDA 01-13 or Y# 4) and not the rarer version of this smaller diameter coin. If you are unable to take an accurate measurement of the coin or beaded circle then the features of the tail shape/spine placement and shape of the 'elbow' spines can be used to determine which Y# is applicable. In other words large coin diameter vs. small coin diameter, and if the smaller diameter coin then either 19 or 21 mm beaded circle diameter.
Diameter 31 mm (vs. 31.51 on the larger size coin). .800 fine sliver. Weight 12.5 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 1 yen, old type sun+dragon, 1870 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
YEN M3(1870) TYPE 1 |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 65 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-9. The dragon obverse, sun reverse silver one yen is dated Meiji 3 only (vs. the lesser denominations bearing both M3 and M4 dates).
The JNDA references four major types in its price guide. Krause refers to types I, II and III. The latter three types are distinguished by features of the yen character on the obverse including size of one stroke and completeness of another part of the character. The JNDA divides the first type into sub categories as well depending on rim/no rim variety.
This coin is a type one which is the more common (but with the flat center rim on the sunburst which is the less common subtype in the JNDA).
The gold 1 yen was the basic monetary unit established under the Meiji restoration. The silver yen was intended for use in treaty ports and were not initially to have circulated outside these areas. This was changed by a later coinage act and the silver yen coins became legal tender throughout Japan (though of a differing design by then) until the silver yen coin was demonetized for domestic use.
38.58 mm in diameter, 0.900 fine silver, weight 26.96 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 1 rin, copper, 1873-1884 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
RIN M6(1873) |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 64 RB |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-55. The 1 rin is the smallest denomination of the Meiji era coinage. It is valued at 1/10 of a sen, or 1/1000 of a yen. It was struck for a limited number of years, spanning dates from M6 (1873) to M17 (1884), but not continuously and several dates are quite scarce .
Diameter 15.75 mm, copper alloy, weight 0.91 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 1/2 sen, square scales, 1873-1877 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
1/2S M7(1874) |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 65 RB |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-53. The half sen was minted non-continuously from M6 (1873) through M21 (1888). The denomination has two basic styles, with the earlier style having a dragon with 'squared' appearing scales. Later issues have a 'sharp' scale style with one year overlapping with both styles (year 10/1877). Year 7 has two varieties--this one with a thinner loop to the dragon's body, vs. a thicker loop as seen earlier in the year and in year 6.
22.2 mm diameter, copper, 3.56 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 1 sen, square scales, 1873-1877 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
SEN M8(1875) |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 65 RB |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-46. The sen is valued at 1/100 of the yen. The inscription across the top of the reverse translates to '100 pieces in exchange for 1 yen'.
Like the half sen, the full sen was minted non-continuously from M6 (1873) through M21 (1888). The denomination has two basic styles, with the earlier style having a dragon with 'squared' appearing dragon scales. Later issues have a 'sharp' scale style but without an overlapping year as seen in the 1/2 sen.
Diameter 27.87 mm, copper, weight 7.13 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 2 sen, square scales, 1873-1877 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
square scales |
| Item Description: |
2S M7(1874) |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 65 RB |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-45. As with the smaller copper dragon minors there can either square or 'v' shaped scales on the 2 sen dragon depending on the year, with the square being the earlier version. The 2 yen transitions between rounded vs. squared scales during year 10 (1877), with the squared version being the more rare.
31.81 mm diameter, copper, weight 14.26 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 5 sen, dragon, 1873-1880 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
5S M9(1876) CHARACTERS SEPARATED |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 67 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-35. The design retains the dragon obverse of the inaugural year but the reverse now features a large character denomination with the chrysanthemum crest and the paulownia/chrysanthemum wreath.
4 of the 6 years having significant varieties depending on the Meiji characters and/or the sen characters. The Meiji character variants are either connected or separated. The sen character variants show differences an upstroke. The JNDA illustration for this makes it appear as though the upstroke is either absent vs. fully connected, though I've seen (as seen with this example) a smaller upstroke without being 'connected'.
M. 6 (1873): 'Meiji' character variants
M. 7 (1874): no varieties listed
M. 8 (1875): 'Sen' character variants
M. 9 (1876): both 'Meiji' and 'Sen' character variants (4 types)
M. 10 (1877): 'Meiji' character variant, but a slightly different one than years 6 and 9
M. 13 (1880): Mintage of 79 coins and not easibly collectable
Diameter 15.15 mm, .800 fine silver, weight 1.35 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 10 sen, dragon, 1873-1906 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
10S M20(1887) |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 67 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-24. The second design for the 10 sen coin (consistent with the other silver denominations) retains the dragon obverse and changes the reverse to a large character denomination with a crest+wreath design. The 10 sen is dated (non-continuously) from M6 (1873) - M39 (1906), with several years either skipped, produced only for exhibitions, or otherwise with severely restricted mintages.
Diameter 17.57 mm, 0.800 fine silver, weight 2.7 grams.
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 20 sen, dragon, 1873-1905 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
20S M20(1887) |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 66 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-22. The dragon obverse with large character denomination/crest/wreath motif was minted from M6(1873)- M38 (1905)--non continuously and with a few exhibition only or otherwise severely limited mintages.
23.5 mm diameter, 0.800 fine silver, 5.39 grams
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| Slot: |
Meiji, 50 sen, dragon, 1873-1905 |
| Origin/Country: |
JAPAN |
| Design Description: |
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| Item Description: |
50S M6(1873) LONG YEAR |
| Grade: |
NGC MS 65 |
| Research: |
View Coin |
Owner Comments
JNDA 01-14.
'Dragon 50 sen (silver)'
Diameter 30.90 mm
.800 fine silver
13.48 grams
The dragon 50 sen was minted non-continuously from Meiji 6 (1873) to Meiji 38 (1905). NGC breaks them into subsets by century along the conventions of the KM catalog. However the standard Japanese reference (Japanese Numismatic Dealer Association or JNDA) catalogs them under a single number.
The obverse of the coin features a dragon (representative of the Emperor) clutching a pearl. The dragon is within a beaded circle which is surrounded by kanji indicating the issuing authority ('Dai Nippon'/Great Japan) and the regnal year. Also the denomination in western script.
The reverse features the Imperial Chrysanthemum Crest centered at the top, with a wreath of paulownia (left) and chrysanthemum (right) foliage branches tied with a ribbon.
Within the wreath is the denomination vertically aligned in kanji.
Varieties are noted in the JNDA. For 1873 the variety is based on calligraphy differences with one of the characters. Other years are notable for either an upward or downward facing cut to the stem on the left. The years vary in which type is the scarcer of the two.
Several years have extremely small mintages and are scarce to the point of being nearly unobtainable to the typical collector.
For this coin, the year M6 (1873) has variants based on the length of stroke on the nen/year character. This coin is labeled 'long' by NGC, but is really the more common short stroke variant. The coin has since been placed in a correct holder.
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