Half sen coin

The half sen coin (半銭) was a Japanese coin worth one two-hundredth of a Japanese yen, as 100 sen equalled 1 yen.[3] All half sen coins were minted during the Meiji period between 1873 and 1888, and are made from nearly pure copper. These coins were later replaced for a brief time by another coin with the same value in the 1910s. The half sen coin was demonetized at the end of 1953 along with other subsidiary coinage and is no longer legal tender. As large amounts of coins were minted they are now readily available for collectors to own.

Half Sen

Japan
Value	​ ^1⁄200 Japanese Yen
Mass	3.56 g
Diameter	21.8 mm
Shape	circular
Composition	98% Copper 2% Lead & Zinc
Years of minting	1873–1888 1892[lower-alpha 1]
Obverse
Reverse

History

Half sen coins along with twelve other denominations were adopted by the Meiji government in an act signed on June 27, 1871.[4] This new coinage gave Japan a western style decimal system which was based on units of yen, sen, and rin.[5][6] Each half sen coin was authorized to weigh 55 grains (3.56 g) struck in a copper alloy.[5][7] The first coins minted are dated 1870 (year 3), but these were intended as trial strikes or pattern coins. Circulating coins were officially minted starting in 1873 (year 6) with a newly adopted design which eliminated a sunburst previously used on the reverse.[5][8] All of these coins have the value written in both Arabic and Kanji on opposing sides. The obverse features a dragon with the date of reign, while the reverse has a wreath with a Chrysanthemum seal located above. The half sen was legal tender only up to the amount of 1 yen which was fixed by government regulations.[9] Production of half sen coins continued with the exception of 1878 (year 11) for every year until 1888 (year 21). It is possible that non circulating half sen coins were made again in 1892 (year 25) for display at the World's Columbian Exposition.[lower-alpha 1] Coins with a value of one-two-hundredth of a yen were not mentioned again until the Japanese government went on the gold standard in 1897.[10] The half sen coin was later replaced for a brief time by another coin with the same value in the late 1910s. Half sen coins were eventually demonetized at the end of 1953 when the Japanese government passed a law abolishing subsidiary coinage in favor of the yen.[11]

Two different varieties exist for the half sen coin in regard to the dragon featured on the reverse side of the coin. One variety has "V scales", while the other design shows "square scales" with the latter being more scarce.[12] Half sen coins can now be obtained for 500 to 5,000 yen as the coins were issued in large amounts.[lower-alpha 2] Exceptions include coins dated 1877 (year 10) with square scales as a rare variety combination worth a premium amount.[13] Condition is also a factor in determining value as uncirculated or unused coins are worth more than their circulated counterparts.[13]

Circulation figures

Half sen coin from 1873 (year 6)

Meiji

The following are circulation figures for the half sen coin, all of which were minted between the 3rd, and 21st year of Meiji's reign. The dates all begin with the Japanese symbol 明治 (Meiji), followed by the year of his reign the coin was minted. Each coin is read clockwise from right to left, so in the example used below "二十" would read as "year 12" or 1879.

• "Year" ← "Number representing year of reign" ← "Emperors name" (Ex: 年 ← 二十 ← 治明)

Year of reign	Japanese date	Gregorian date	Mintage
6th	六	1873	16,804,440[14]
7th	七	1874	10,844,710[15][lower-alpha 3]
8th	八	1875	17,037,928[14]
9th	九	1876	24,292,478[14]
10th	十	1877	29,278,520[14]
12th	二十	1879	29,963,706[17]
13th	三十	1880	14,090,894[17]
14th	四十	1881	17,929,026[17]
15th	五十	1882	26,458,976[17]
16th	六十	1883	38,202,062[17]
17th	七十	1884	38,480,248[17]
18th	八十	1885	31,166,240[17]
19th	九十	1886	31,831,244[17]
20th	十二	1887	35,651,564[17]
21st	一十二	1888	25,744,686[17]
25th	五十二	1892	Not circulated[lower-alpha 1]

See also

• Half penny (disambiguation), similar denominations in other currencies

Notes

1. Several unique coins dated 1892 are known to have been produced to display at the World's Columbian Exposition.[1] While there are no known existing examples of half sen coins dated 1892 (year 25), they are mentioned by Krause Publications.[2]
2. This value is dependent on date and condition
3. The mintage total for 1873 and 1874 as a whole could be 16,804,440 coins.[13][16]

References

1. "Japan: Meiji gold Proof 10 Yen Year 4 (1871) PR66 Cameo". Heritage Auctions. Retrieved August 19, 2020.
2. "Japan 1/2 Sen Y# 16.2 Yr.25(1892) None struck for circulation". Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
3. John Crowdy (1873). "The British Almanac". Stationers' Company. pp. 112–113. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
4. A. Piatt Andrew, Quarterly Journal of Economics, "The End of the Mexican Dollar", 18:3:321–356, 1904, p. 345
5. Brief History of Coinage Laws Since 1871. Annual Report of the Director of the United States Mint. United States Department of the Treasury. 1899. p. 345.
6. Wm. Crosby and H.P. Nicholes (1873). Coinage at Home and Abroad. The Bankers' Magazine, and Statistical Register. 27. p. 983.
7. "半銭青銅貨" (in Japanese). www.buntetsu.net. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
8. "Japan: Meiji copper Pattern 1/2 Sen Year 3 (1870)". Heritage Auctions. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
9. "Commercial Notes". Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance of the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1900. p. 2264.
10. Law No. XVI of the 20th day of March of the 30th year of Meiji (1897). Report on the Adoption of the Gold Standard in Japan. 1899. p. 192-193.
11. "小額通貨の整理及び支払金の端数計算に関する法律" [A law of the abolition of currencies in a small denomination and rounding off a fraction, July 15, 1953 Law No.60]. www.shugiin.go.jp. Archived from the original on June 28, 2002. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
12. "Japan 1/2, 1, and 2 Sen 1873 to 1892". www.coinquest.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
13. "【半銭硬貨･銅貨】買取価値はいくら？平均価格＆査定相場《最新版》". Kosen Kantei (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2020.
14. "Japan 1/2 Sen Y# 16.1 Yr.10(1877)-Yr.9(1876)". Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
15. "Japan Weekly Mail". Jappan Meru Shinbunsha. 1875. p. 146. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
16. "Japan 1/2 Sen Y# 16.1 Yr.7(1874)". Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
17. "Japan 1/2 Sen Y# 16.2". Numismatic Guaranty Corporation. Retrieved March 20, 2018.