1990 Japan 10 Yen

This is a very dark coin that I got as a penny. On closer look it was actually a 10 yen coin from Japan. Not rare but seldom seen in my change I believe because the distance from here to Japan makes travel something only the wealthier population enjoys.

The design of this coin has gone unchanged since 1951. The biggest change from previous issues is the date. This one is Year 2 which is a Heisei era coin under the emperor Akihito. The previous was Emperor Hirohito whose coinage bears the Shōwa era symbols. Upon the emperor's death it will change again starting from year 1 and counting up until death.

Here are the stats...
Type/Country: 10 Yen / Japan
Year: 1990 (Year 2)
Mintage: 754,753,000
Metal: Bronze
Value: $0.15 in Extra-Fine

Exchange rate is also about $0.09.

Do you have a coin from Japan and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

1988 Japan 500 Yen

Have a Japanese coin and want to know its value? Leave a comment

This is one of the most valuable coins in my "change finds" vault. At around $7.00 it is enough to buy lunch both here and in Japan, assuming you are not that hungry. If I recall correctly I found this on the subway right in the center of the platform. I will let your imagine run wild on how it got there, I suspect abandoned after pickpocket realized it was not U.S. money.

On the front is 日本 (Japan), not sure about that last symbol. Pawlownia flower and under it 五 百 円(Five Hundred Yen).

Like I mentioned before high denomination coins often having fancier edges as a security measure to prevent counterfeiting. This one has NIPPON ◆ 500 ◆ NIPPON ◆ 500 ◆ which again means Japan ◆ 500 (twice).

1988 is Showa 63 or 昭和六十三年 as written neatly under the 500. The reverse also has a beaded rim and some leaves and berries in four directions.

Here are the stats...
Type/Country: 500 Yen / Japan
Year: 1988 (Year 63)
Mintage: 148,018,000
Metal: Copper-Nickel
Value: $7.00 in Extra-Fine

Exchange rate is also about $6.30.

Update: The official name of Japan is 日本国(Nihon Koku) which could be translated as State of Japan. Thanks to eddypc07 for the help.


Do you have a coin from Japan and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.

1998 Japan 1 Yen

Do you have a Japanese coin and want to know its value? Leave a comment

It is an honor to bring you my first Japanese coin find since starting this blog. Found at Starbucks, apparently someone had a yen for coffee. Now let me stop before I offend with bad puns.

Again another non-change find but floor finds do count. Japan coins are also pretty rare to see in circulation. I suspect the recent devastation in Japan has brought more travel between our two nations.

Since I hardly see Japanese coins and the language is quite difficult, even in the age of online translations, it always takes me some time to figure out the year and most of the characters on the coins.

I think the top three characters mean Japan, not sure about the bottom two.

平成十年 mean Heisei year 10 or year 1998 yen

From what I gather about Japanese dates they are based on the ruler. For this coin the ruler is Akihito (Heisei) and it was his tenth year as ruler.

Here are the stats...
Type/Country: 1 Yen / Japan
Year: 1998 (Year 10)
Mintage: 452,412,000
Metal: Aluminum
Value: $0.01 in Fine

Exchange rate is also about $0.01.

Update: Thanks to Anonymous who said; "The bottom two symbols say "one yen"" which I verified with Google Translate 一円 = One Yen

Do you have a coin from Japan and want to know its value? Leave a comment/question and I will do my best to find out the price and history for you.