Japan 1897 (M30) 20 yen
This specimen was lot 30140 in Heritage sale 3042 (Long Beach, September 2015), where it sold for $1,527.50. The catalog description[1] noted, "Meiji gold 20 Yen Year 30 (1897) UNC Details (Surface Hairlines) NGC, Osaka mint. Fully lustrous from all angles, this desirable gold selection presents noticeably sharp design motifs surrounded by semi-reflective fields that contain faint hairlines. Despite the details assignment, this is still a lovely example of this one-year type and one that should not be overlooked." This type was struck during the Meiji era in considerable numbers but remains scarce today with some dates rare. This is the first date. The type was terminated in 1910. It seems likely that most of the issue remained in government hands as backing for currency until the inflation of World War One ended any likelihood of circulating the coin.
Recorded mintage: 1,861,000.
Specification: 16.66 g, 0.900 fine gold, 28.78 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-50; Y-34; JNDA-01-6.
- 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]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.
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