I got these once again in a foreign coin bag and in the bag there were some very old coins such as a 1900 one penny. All the old coins had holes in them. I got some in different launguages too and some had holes, so I assumed they were old. If anyone could help me with any information about these coins please tell me.
The 5 sen on the left is Showa year 15 (1940), the 5 sen on the right is Showa year 17 (1942), and the ten sen in the middle is Showa year 18 (1943). Showa was the reign title for Hirohito. All aluminum.
If you collect coins for awhile you'll learn the giveaways like the flower in the middle of each coin is a chrysanthemum, which is the royal flower of Japan.
The bird is the 'Golden Kite', representing the first Emperor--Jimmu Tenno. The bird emitted a bright light and either blinded or scared the enemy forces and is credited with aiding the Emperor in his victory. Not surprisingly, this marital-oriented bird was on the coinage during the war years.
