Japan 1885 (M18) 50 sen
This specimen was lot 30135 in Heritage sale 3042 (Long Beach, September 2015), where it sold for $705. The catalog description[1] noted, "Meiji 50 Sen Year 18 (1885) MS62 NGC. Featuring a lustrous mixture of peach and royal-blue hues that brighten otherwise steel-gray surfaces. A streak of darker tone is noticeable across both the obverse and reverse design elements and light handling accounts for the grade designation. An altogether lovely, Mint-State representative of this better date in the series." This type, roughly equal to a half dollar, was issued 1873-80, 1885 and 1897-1905. The later dates are common.
Recorded mintage: 409,920--a scarce date but not the key.
Specification: 13.48 g, 0.900 fine silver, 30.5 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-Y25.
- 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]Cristiano Bierrenbach, Warren Tucker and David Michaels, Heritage World Coin Auction 3042, featuring the Read and Bob Bennett Collections, Dallas, TX: Heritage Auction Galleries, 2015.
Link to:
- 1874 50 sen
- 1884 yen
- 1885 ½ sen
- 1885 sen
- 1885 10 sen
- 1885 yen
- 1898 50 sen
- Coins and currency dated 1885
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