50 yen coin
Japan | |
Value | 50 Japanese yen |
---|---|
Mass | 4 g |
Diameter | 21 mm |
Shape | circular |
Center hole diameter | 4 mm |
Composition | Cupronickel |
Years of minting | 1967–present |
Obverse | |
Design | Chrysanthemum |
Design date | 1967 |
Reverse | |
Design | "50" in Arabic numerals |
Design date | 1967 |
The 50 yen coin (五十円硬貨, Gojū-en kōka) is a denomination of Japanese
History
The first 50 yen coins were released in 1955 featuring a
This second design lasted until 1967, when the metallurgy was changed to cupronickel in response to the replacement of silver on the 100 yen coin that same year.[6] During this time the overall diameter, and weight of the coin was reduced including the central hole.[a] The obverse was redesigned to feature 3 small flowers rather than an overhead view of a chrysanthemum flower. Coins continued to be minted for circulation throughout Shōwa's reign with the exception of 1987, when they were confined to mint sets only.[7] According to the Japanese mint, no 50 yen coins were made during Shōwa's last year of reign as the molds needed to make coins for Akihito had already begun.[8] The mint also stated that they do not produce all 6 coin denominations at once as the need depends on a manufacturing plan. Denominations of 1, 5, 10, and 500 yen had been given priority over 50 and 100 yen coins.[8]
Production of the 50 yen coin started out strong during the first years of the Heisei era with mintage figures in the hundreds of millions. These numbers fell off sharply in the late 2000s in response to the rising use of
Designs
Image | Minted | Diameter | Weight | Composition | Hole |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1955–1958 | 25 mm | 5g | 100% nickel | None | |
1959–1966 | 25 mm | 5g | 100% nickel | 6 mm | |
1967– | 21 mm[4] | 4g[4] | 75% copper, 25% nickel[1] | 4 mm[4] |
Circulation figures
Shōwa
The following are circulation dates which cover Emperor
- Japanese coins are read with a left to right format:
- "Emperors name" → "Number representing year of reign" → "Year" (Ex: 昭和 → 50 → 年).
Year of reign | Japanese date | Gregorian date | Mintage[5][b] |
---|---|---|---|
30th | 三十 | 1955 | 63,700,000 |
31st | 三十一 | 1956 | 91,300,000 |
32nd | 三十二 | 1957 | 39,000,000 |
33rd | 三十三 | 1958 | 18,000,000 |
34th | 三十四 | 1959 | 23,900,000 |
35th | 三十五 | 1960 | 6,000,000 |
36th | 三十六 | 1961 | 16,000,000 |
37th | 三十七 | 1962 | 50,300,000 |
38th | 三十八 | 1963 | 55,000,000 |
39th | 三十九 | 1964 | 69,200,000 |
40th | 四十 | 1965 | 189,300,000 |
41st | 四十一 | 1966 | 171,500,000 |
42nd | N/A | 1967 | 238,400,000 |
43rd | 1968 | 200,000,000 | |
44th | 1969 | 210,900,000 | |
45th | 1970 | 269,800,000 | |
46th | 1971 | 80,950,000 | |
47th | 1972 | 138,980,000 | |
48th | 1973 | 200,970,000 | |
49th | 1974 | 470,000,000 | |
50th | 1975 | 238,120,000 | |
51st | 1976 | 241,880,000 | |
52nd | 1977 | 176,000,000 | |
53rd | 1978 | 234,000,000 | |
54th | 1979 | 110,000,000 | |
55th | 1980 | 51,000,000 | |
56th | 1981 | 179,000,000 | |
57th | 1982 | 30,000,000 | |
58th | 1983 | 30,000,000 | |
59th | 1984 | 29,850,000 | |
60th | 1985 | 10,150,000 | |
61st | 1986 | 9,960,000 | |
62nd | 1987 | 775,000[c] | |
63rd | 1988 | 109,112,000 |
Heisei
The following are circulation dates during the reign of Emperor
- Japanese coins are read with a left to right format:
- "Emperors name" → "Number representing year of reign" → "Year" (Ex: 平成 → 13 → 年).
Year of reign | Gregorian date | Mintage[5][b] |
---|---|---|
1st (元) | 1989 | 245,000,000 |
2nd | 1990 | 274,953,000 |
3rd | 1991 | 209,120,000 |
4th | 1992 | 49,130,000 |
5th | 1993 | 51,240,000 |
6th | 1994 | 65,767,000 |
7th | 1995 | 111,874,000 |
8th | 1996 | 82,213,000 |
9th | 1997 | 150,086,000 |
10th | 1998 | 100,612,000 |
11th | 1999 | 59,120,000 |
12th | 2000 | 7,026,000 |
13th | 2001 | 8,024,000 |
14th | 2002 | 11,667,000 |
15th | 2003 | 10,406,000 |
16th | 2004 | 9,903,000 |
17th | 2005 | 10,029,000 |
18th | 2006 | 10,594,000 |
19th | 2007 | 9,904,000 |
20th | 2008 | 8,811,000 |
21st | 2009 | 5,003,000 |
22nd | 2010 | 510,000[c] |
23rd | 2011 | 456,000[c] |
24th | 2012 | 659,000[c] |
25th | 2013 | 554,000[c] |
26th | 2014 | 7,538,000 |
27th | 2015 | 47,004,000 |
28th | 2016 | 46,064,000 |
29th | 2017 | 20,927,000 |
30th | 2018 | 56,960,000 |
31st | 2019 | 1,118,000 |
Reiwa
The following are circulation dates in the reign of the current Emperor.
- Japanese coins are read with a left to right format:
- "Emperors name" → "Number representing year of reign" → "Year" (Ex: 令和 → 2 → 年).
Year of reign | Gregorian date | Mintage[5][b] |
---|---|---|
1st (元) | 2019 | 42,502,000 |
2nd | 2020 | 58,428,000 |
3rd | 2021 | 9,133,000 |
4th | 2022 | 574,000[c] |
5th | 2023 | 463,000[c] |
6th | 2024 | TBD |
Collecting
All nickel based 50 yen coins minted prior to 1967 are now rarely seen in circulation.[4] Collectors over time eventually took notice of key dates such as 1960 (year 35) as only 6 million of these coins were struck. It was reported by 1972 that a coin collecting boom had caused coin shortages in the country. During this time, coins minted in 1960 were listed for as much as 5,000 yen ($19 USD[d]) a coin.[13] The old nickel based coins may have also been taken out of circulation in response to the rising price of nickel bullion. Low mintage coins returned again towards the end of end of Emperor Shōwa's reign, with 1987 (year 62) dated coins confined to special proof sets.[7] Coins dated 2010 to 2013 (year 22 to 25) under Emperor Akihito were also minted in very small numbers as they were confined to sets as well rather than for circulation.[10] Some of these more recent coins have found their way into circulation and sell for many times their face value regardless of their condition.[14] During the last year of Akihito's reign only 1,118,000 coins were struck for the 50 yen piece. It was reported that collectors and the public alike kept year 31 (2019) coins of all denominations as "Heisei Memorials".[15] Error coins such as examples missing the center hole are also popular with collectors and trade at high prices.[16]
Notes
- ^ 50 yen coin changes in 1967 include a reduction in diameter from 25 to 21 mm, and a weight change from 5 grams to 4. The size of the center hole was also reduced from 6 mm in diameter to 4.
- ^ a b c Mintages on the Japan Mint website are in thousands
- ^ a b c d e f g These coins were sold exclusively in mint sets.[7][10]
- ^ Adjusted for inflation the amount exceeded $100 (USD).[12]
References
- ^ a b "Operations Coins Currently Minted: Japan Mint". Japan Mint. Archived from the original on 18 October 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2010.
- ^ a b Annual Report of the Director of the United States Mint (1960). United States. Bureau of the Mint. 1960. p. 115.
- ^ "List of "B series" bank notes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 25, 2009. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "Why the 50-yen coin has a hole and other fun facts about Japanese coins". Japan Today. December 1, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "年銘別貨幣製造枚数【令和5年銘】" (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan Mint. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ "Circulating Coin Designs". Japan Mint. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ^ a b c "昭和62年50円の価値は?相場と高価買取が期待できる業者もご紹介". Kosenkaitori (in Japanese). Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "Rare value? A flood of applications for "2019" currency! Surprising fact of "Showa 64" heard from the Mint". FNN (in Japanese). Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ^ a b "¥50, ¥100 coin designs unchanged for half century". The Japan Times. January 6, 2017. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ^ a b c Ryota Ito. "小銭の中でも高値で取引されるレアモノ硬貨とは?価値や見分け方". All About hobby (in Japanese). Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ^ "Reiwa coins to debut summer 2019".
- ^ "Calculate the value of $19 in 1973". Dollar Times. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ "Japan Report". Japan Information Center, Consulate General of Japan. 1973.
- ^ "50円硬貨の買取価格とおすすめ買取業者について". Kosenkaitori (in Japanese). Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ^ "新元号変更、平成31年硬貨にプレミアはつくのか?". Moneylab. March 19, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ^ "【保存版】50円硬貨の価値はいくら?買取価格&平均相場《全3種類》". kosen-kantei. Retrieved April 14, 2020.