Japan 1870 (M3) 5 sen
This specimen was lot 56920 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Pittsburgh, PA, August 2023), where it sold for $192. The catalog description[1] noted, "JAPAN. 5 Sen, Year 3 (1870). Osaka Mint. Mutsuhito (Meiji). NGC MS-62. Shallow scales variety." This type was struck 1870-71 for the newly reorganized Meiji regime. Deep and shallow scales varieties exist, referring to the dragon on the obverse, with the deep scales priced about double that of the shallow scales. The second variety, used in 1871, had the dragon replaced by Chinese characters stating the denomination. The design was revised again in 1873 to add the denomination in English while the denomination written in Chinese numerals was moved to the reverse.
Recorded mintage: 1,501,473 for 1870-71.
Specification: 1.25 g, 0.800 fine silver, 16.2 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-Y1; JNDA-01-33; JC-09-33.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- The Catalog of Japanese Coins and Banknotes, Tokyo: JNDA (Japanese Numismatic Dealers Assn.), 2014.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2023 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2023.
Link to:
- Japan 1870 (M3) 10 sen shallow scales
- 1870 20 sen
- 1870 yen
- 1870 2 yen
- 1870 5 yen
- 1870 20 yen
- Japan 1871 (M4) 5 sen Chinese characters
- Coins and currency dated 1870