1 Japanese Yen Coin Through the Ages

The 1 Japanese Yen coin has a rich history that spans over a century. Its design has undergone several changes over the years, reflecting the country's cultural and economic evolution.

The first 1 Japanese Yen coin was introduced in 1870, with a design featuring a chrysanthemum, the symbol of the Japanese monarchy. This design was meant to signify the country's transition to a modern monetary system.

The 1 Japanese Yen coin has been made from various metals, including copper, nickel, and a combination of the two. Its composition has been changed several times to reduce production costs and improve durability.

The coin's design has also been influenced by Japanese art and culture, with motifs such as cherry blossoms and waves appearing on later issues.

The current Emperor, Naruhito, reigns with the period name Reiwa, which started in 2019.

Coins minted during this period bear the kanji characters 令和 (Reiwa) and are marked with a number indicating the year of reign.

The inaugural year coin (2019) was marked with the kanji character 元 (first) and debuted during the summer of that year.

Here's a list of the years of reign and their corresponding mintage figures:

The early yen period was a time of significant change for Japan's currency. The first Japanese one-yen coins were minted between 1871 and 1872 using both silver and gold alloys. The yen was officially adopted by the Meiji government in an act signed on June 27, 1871.

The first one-yen coins were minted in 1870, but they were not issued until the following year. These coins were made of 0.900 fine silver and had a mass of 26.9568 grams and a diameter of 38.5 millimeters. They featured a sun with branches on the obverse and a Japanese dragon on the reverse.

The Japanese government initially minted gold one-yen coins to switch to the gold standard, but this was later abandoned due to the cost of the Satsuma Rebellion. By 1876, more gold coins were being exported than used domestically. In 1877, the government was forced off the gold standard and switched to a bimetallic standard, giving the one-yen silver coin legal tender status throughout the country.

Here's a breakdown of the mintage figures for the early yen period:

The fluctuations in the price of silver eventually led to the demonetization of silver one-yen coins in 1898, with a grace period until July 31st of that year.

The modern yen was first introduced in 1948 with a brass one-yen coin featuring a numeral "1" with "State of Japan" above and the date below.

These coins were minted until 1950, with a total of 451,170,000 coins produced.

In 1955, an aluminum coin with a floral design was introduced, featuring a young tree on the obverse to symbolize the healthy growth of Japan.

The one yen coin has remained largely unchanged in design throughout its minting history, with the only exception being a brief halt in production in 1968 due to excessive production.

The Japan Mint produced one yen coins in huge amounts in 1989, when a national consumption tax was put into place, resulting in many prices that were not multiples of 5 or 10 yen.

This led to a significant increase in demand for the coin, but by 1997, the consumption tax rate had been raised to 5%, reducing demand and causing the Japan Mint to rethink its production levels.

By 2003, the cost of producing a rolled plate for one yen coins had risen to 13 yen, generating a commercial loss for the Japan Mint due to the rising price of aluminum.

In 2011, the Ministry of Finance stopped issuing new one yen coins for circulation, but production resumed in 2014 when the consumption tax was raised again to 8%, causing sums to be less rounded.

Interestingly, one-yen coins have also found non-monetary uses, such as being used as weights due to their uniform weight of one gram.

The Shōwa period was a time of great change and growth in Japan. This era, which spanned from 1948 to 1989, was marked by significant economic and social developments.

During this period, Japan's economy experienced rapid growth, with the country emerging as a major industrial power. One notable aspect of this growth was the increased production of coins, with the mintage of coins reaching as high as 1,750,000,000 in 1974.

The Shōwa period also saw significant changes in Japan's monetary policy, with the introduction of new coins and currency denominations. The 23rd year of the Shōwa period, for example, saw the production of 451,170,000 coins in 1948.

Here's a breakdown of the mintage of coins during the Shōwa period:

These numbers give you an idea of the scale of Japan's economic growth during the Shōwa period. The period was marked by significant advancements in various fields, including technology, industry, and finance.

The Heisei era, which spanned from 1989 to 2019, was marked by a unique one-year type coin featuring the kanji characters 平成 (Heisei). This era began with a large mintage of 2,366,970,000 in 1989.

The circulation dates for the Heisei era are well-documented, with the first year's mintage being significantly higher than the subsequent years. For example, the 1990 mintage was 2,768,953,000, a notable increase from the previous year.

As the years went by, the mintage numbers continued to fluctuate. The 1992 mintage was 1,299,130,000, a significant decrease from the peak in 1990. This downward trend continued in the following years.

A notable exception to this trend was the 15th year of the Heisei era, which saw a mintage of 117,406,000 in 2003. This was a significant increase from the previous year, and it's worth noting that the mintage numbers were generally lower in the later years of the Heisei era.

Here's a breakdown of the mintage numbers for the Heisei era: