1 Yen - Meiji (small type)
Japan • 1 Yen • Gold (.900) (10% copper) • 1874–1892
- Denomination
- 1 Yen
- Issuer
- Japan
- Struck
- 1874–1892
- Composition
- Gold (.900) (10% copper)
- Currency
- Yen
- Weight
- 1.67 g
- Diameter
- 12.12 mm
- Catalog refs
- Y 9a · JNDA 01-5A · JC 09-5-2
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The 1874 Meiji 1 Yen coin represents a pivotal moment in the modernization of Japanese currency. Following the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government sought to standardize the nation's monetary system to align with Western gold and silver standards. The design was heavily influenced by the adoption of the New Currency Act of 1871, which transitioned the nation away from the traditional, irregular coinage of the Edo period toward a decimal-based system.
The coin features a dragon motif, a powerful symbol of the imperial authority that was intended to bolster international confidence in Japan's new fiscal stability. Minted at the Osaka Mint, which utilized modern British machinery and technical expertise, the design was executed with precision that far exceeded the artisanal techniques of the past. It was well-received as a symbol of Japan's emerging industrial capability and remains a sought-after piece for numismatists studying the transition to the Meiji era.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About 1 Yen - Meiji (small type)
1 Yen - Meiji (small type) is a coin in the Coins catalog on collecto.rs. Japan • 1 Yen • Gold (.900) (10% copper) • 1874–1892. Catalog data is sourced from Numista. No collectors on collecto.rs publicly track this coin yet — adding yours would make you the first.
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