Japan 1875 (M8) 5 yen
This specimen was lot 21311 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Philadelphia, August 2018), where it sold for $3,360. The catalog description[1] noted, "JAPAN. 5 Yen, Year 8 (1875). PCGS MS-66 Secure Holder. Includes the plastic holder distributed by the Ministry of Finance in Japan. Exceptionally preserved with few marks over either side, delicate tone in the fields and several tiny specks of debris along the outer dentils on both sides that ensure absolute originality. Seldom found finer." This type was struck 1872-97 in substantial quantities but only the 1872 and 1873 are not extremely rare. As the weight of the five yen was reduced to 4.16 g in 1897, it suggests that all the other dates were retained by the government and then melted to make the lighter weight coin.
Recorded mintage: 181,728.
Specification: 8.33 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21.82 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-47; Y-11a; JNDA-01-3a.
- 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.
- Friedberg, Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg, Gold Coins of the World, From Ancient Times to the Present, 9th ed., Clifton, NJ: Coin and Currency Institute, 2017.
- [1]Ponterio, Richard, Kyle Ponterio and Chris Chatigny, The August 2018 Philadelphia ANA Auction: World Coins and Selections from the El Dorado Collection of Colombian Coins, Santa Ana, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2018.
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