½ Sen - Meiji
Japan • ½ Sen • Bronze (95% copper, 4% tin, 1% zinc) • 1873–1892
- Denomination
- ½ Sen
- Issuer
- Japan
- Struck
- 1873–1892
- Composition
- Bronze (95% copper, 4% tin, 1% zinc)
- Currency
- Yen
- Weight
- 3.56 g
- Diameter
- 22.2 mm
- Catalog refs
- Y 16 · JNDA 01-53 · JC 09-53
Where to find one
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Where it came from
The 1873 ½ Sen coin was produced during the Meiji Restoration, a period of rapid modernization and Westernization in Japan. Issued as part of the New Currency Act of 1871, this copper coinage represented a departure from the traditional Tokugawa-era currency system, signaling Japan’s commitment to adopting a decimal-based monetary structure aligned with global economic standards.
The design features the iconic dragon motif, a symbol of imperial authority, encircled by legends in both Japanese and Western characters. These coins were minted at the Osaka Mint, which had been established with the help of British technicians to ensure international minting quality. Upon their release, the coins were well-received as a tangible marker of Japan’s transition into a centralized, industrial state, serving as a functional tool for everyday commerce and a symbolic display of national prestige.
Written by Pi, the helpful collecto.rs AI
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About ½ Sen - Meiji
½ Sen - Meiji is a coin in the Coins catalog on collecto.rs. Japan • ½ Sen • Bronze (95% copper, 4% tin, 1% zinc) • 1873–1892. 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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