Japan, 1870-19501/2 SEN
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JNDA 01-53. The half sen was minted non-continuously from M6 (1873) through M21 (1888). One sen is 1/100 of the yen, and the characters across the top on the reverse translate to '200 pieces in exchange for 1 yen'.
The denomination has two basic style of obverse, with the earlier style having a dragon with 'squared' appearing scales. Later issues have a 'sharp' scale style with one year overlapping with both styles (year M.10/1877). The reverse features the typical double foliage wreath, tied at the bottom and with the Chrysanthemum crest at the top.
Copper alloy, 22.2 mm diameter, 3.56 grams.
The denomination has two basic style of obverse, with the earlier style having a dragon with 'squared' appearing scales. Later issues have a 'sharp' scale style with one year overlapping with both styles (year M.10/1877). The reverse features the typical double foliage wreath, tied at the bottom and with the Chrysanthemum crest at the top.
Copper alloy, 22.2 mm diameter, 3.56 grams.
Meiji year 6 (1873) NGC MS-63RB.
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'Square' dragon scales example.
The 1877 'square' scaled dragon is much scarcer. |
Meiji year 18 (1885), NGC-66 RB.
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'V' shaped dragon scales.
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Meiji year 7 is notable for a variant.
The dragon's coil is thicker on the specimen on the top, which is the 'early' version of the design (as is the year six coin above). The 'late' version has a thinner inner loop, thus a larger gap between the loops, and this is how the subsequent years' coils appear (until the change to the sharp style). The thick coil/early version is the more scarce. |