Japan 1939 (S14) sen

from the Mountain Groan Collection

This specimen was struck for Japan by the Tokyo mint, which issued this type 1938-40. Until 1915, the one sen was a bronze coin the size of a quarter. It was reduced in size in 1916 and struck in bronze until 1938, when it was converted to aluminum. The denomination was terminated after 1945, the victim of inflation and the disaster of World War Two. A few were made in baked clay at the end of the war. Thick and thin varieties exist for 1939; the thick is scarce.

Recorded mintage: 444,602,146.

Specification: 0.9 g, aluminum, 17.6 mm diameter.

Catalog reference: KM Y56.

Source:

• 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.

Link to:

• 1937 sen
• 1938 sen, bronze, Paulownia obverse
• 1938 sen, bronze, bird obverse
• 1939 aluminum bronze 10 sen
• 1940 sen
• 1940 aluminum 10 sen
• Coins and currency dated 1939