Japan 1897 (M30) 5 yen Fr-47
This specimen was lot 50070 in Stack's Bowers Hong Kong auction (Hong Kong, April 2021), where it sold for $2,400. The catalog description[1] noted, "JAPAN. 5 Yen, Year 30 (1897). Osaka Mint. Mutsuhito (Meiji). PCGS MS-64 Gold Shield. Free from tone with exemplary radiance and carefully preserved surfaces. An idea example for the collector seeking a choice example of this reduced size type that was first struck in 1897 and was only struck for five years, concluding in 1912. From the Pinnacle Collection." 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. The auctioneers incorrectly described this as the lighter type.
Recorded mintage: 107,352, a rare date.
Specification: 8.33 g, 0.900 fine gold, 21.8 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: Fr-47.
- 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]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The April 2021 Hong Kong Auction, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2021.
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