Hi all, My son went on a trip with some friends to Japan a few weeks ago. He gave me these as a gift. Domo Arigatou He took this picture there
I miss Japan. Cool souvenirs too. The 50 yen is neat, from the first year of the era. And the 500s have the cool anti-counterfeiting features. This is how the collecting started, pocket change. Sadly I mailed my bills back to a friend as there was something from Amazon.jp I wanted. Dumb. Wish I still had them. Good for your son having such a nice trip!
Awesome! I speak some Japanese but have never visited. I've also never actually held a Japanese bill, but I have coins going back to the Meiji period. The last I heard the 500 Yen coin was still the highest value circulating coin in the world, but that was back when 500 Yen = $6.00. As of this moment 500 Yen appears to equal about $4.40. 2019 should be an interesting coin year for Japan as Emperor Akihito steps down and the Heisei period ends. All of the coins above, except one, have "Heisei" or 平成 on them. When he abdicates the dating system will take on the "era" name or 元号 of the new Emperor, who will be the current Crown Prince Naruhito. In case you're wondering, here are the dates on your coins above: 500 Yen: Heisei 24 or 2012 50 Yen: Ah! You have the special transition coin with a "元年" ("gan'nen" or "first year") on it, which signifies Akihito's first year on the throne, or 1989. This was also his father Hirohito's last year on the throne, so 1989 has two era dates: Showa 64 and Heisei Gan'nen. So that' s a very cool Yen. 10 Yen: Heisei 23 or 2011 1 Yen: Showa 56 or 1981 - this dates from Emperor Hirohito Great stuff! Thanks for posting!
Yes, since 1951, right around the end of the Post WWII American Occupation. But the US has held out much longer with its current designs: FDR on the dime since 1946, Jefferson on the nickel since 1938, Washington on the quarter since 1932, and Lincoln on the cent since 1909. Though it introduce some variations on some denominations, it does seem like the world needs to change up its coinage a little more frequently.
I used to live in Okinawa Japan. I don't remember the 500 coins. we had a lot of the 100 yen coins. they were good for all the vending machines that were literally everywhere. you could buy a beer out of a machine. we would empty those when the liquor store was closed. I think it was 89 or less for the beer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/500_yen_coin I know what you mean by the vending machines being everywhere. In the cities (I haven't been in the countryside much), there'll be a bank of three or four machines selling small cans of various drinks for Y120 or so, plus a container to put the empty cans in for recycling, some on every city block. I enjoy a cold Georgia Coffee, but mind you don't push a button labeled in red if you expect a cold drink. It will be hot.
there was a drink called "pecari sweat" I could never get myself to try that one. there was also "Calpis". that didn't sound delicious either
MMmmmm Grape Calpis...yummy. There was even the canned alcoholic version (we called it a chu-hi, but I don't recall if it technically was one) but bought that one in the grocery store. The vending machines were a hoot. I had to explain a few things to my kids who would walk by a condom one on the way to their school bus (lived off base). Rice. Beer. Underwear. And the drinks...sigh. @dirty_brian the 500 yen was new in 1982, so it depends on how long ago you were in Okinawa.
Canada and Switzerland also have very long circulating coin series without major change of design. In fact, the US and Switzerland are the only two countries I can come up with where you could reasonably expect to find a 19th century coin in circulation (Canada did not change to the small cent and "nickel/nickle" until after 1900) When I was in Osaka about ten years ago, I emailed the mint and asked about tours. When I showed up, they had two delightful young ladies who spoke some English escort me through the areas the public was allowed to go ... I was certainly impressed.
If you ever get a chance to go the the museum at Osaka, also highly recommended! The displays (when I was there) were labeled in Japanese, but there was an English language brief movie to start. Some wonderful rarities to see!
The brassy versions of the 500 Yen has gotta be my favorite modern coin from Japan. And yeah when I started collecting random forex Yen lots back in 2012-2013 they had a value higher than a Swiss 5 Franc, I believe now the 5 Franc holds that title.
If you want an inter was interesting Japanese bank note , try the 2000yen note. Originally introduced in year 2000, it was never popular. It doesn't work in vending machines, and you never get them in normal change. The only time I see them is when tourists bring them into Japan from banks overseas. (I live in Japan )From what I can tell, only overseas banks issue them, because people in Japan swap them at banks in Japan, for 1000, 5000 and 10,000 yen notes that they can easily use.
