Japan 1938 (S13) sen Y-55
This specimen was lot 3062 in Stephen Album sale 38 (Santa Rosa, CA, September 2020), where it sold for $83.30. The catalog description[1] noted, "JAPAN: Showa, 1926-1989, AE sen, year 13 (1938), Y-55, one-year type, wonderful orange coloration, a superb example! NGC graded MS66 RD." This one sen was struck in Japan during the reign of the Showa emperor, Hirohito (1926-89). This type was struck 1938 only and is common. Two other sen were issued in 1938 (KM Y47 and Y56), the latter aluminum. Prior to the opening of Japan in the 1850's and 1860's, Japanese coins were a mix of Chinese-style cast copper cash, silver rectangular "bu" and rare, gold "oban." The last one sen coin was issued in 1945, as B-29's rained death on Japanese cities.
Recorded mintage: 113,600,000 plus 87,649,338 of Y47 plus 45,502,266 of Y56.
Specification: 3.75 g, bronze, 23 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM Y55.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1901-2000, 47th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- The Catalog of Japanese Coins and Banknotes, Tokyo: JNDA (Japanese Numismatic Dealers Assn.), 2014.
- [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 38, featuring the Dabestani Collection of Persian Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2020.
Link to: