FSH: Japan's Bicolor Clad Coins
tychojoe
Posts: 1,336 ✭✭✭
Greetings! Please pardon the intrusion onto the US Coins BST, but I have tried the Darkside BST, and am just not getting any response! 
FWIW, I did exchange US MONEY into yen before I bought these coins for resale! 
I hope this post will be worthwhile to some of you who might be interested in this sort of thing, but who don't normally read the World Coin forums.
Here are all 10 prefectures of the 500-Yen coins that have been minted so far in the Japan Mint's "47 Prefectures Program". These are the business-strike, bi-color clad coins from the program, only. No clad proofs, or silver proofs are here.
The minting process of the bi-color clads evidently represents 2 advanced technologies in coin production. For one, the reverse features a unique double "latent image", created by reflection off specially shaped metal ridges. (See the bottom-half of the post for pictures of both the "47" and the "60" images here.) For another, 3 metallic compositions (nickel-brass, cupronickel and copper) are combined to make the planchet in a method that I can't find a thing about. I do not think there is any colorization here, just natural color of the alloys.
While collecting the 47 prefectures is daunting, even in the bicolor clads, or senseless if it's not your cup of tea, individually the coins are quite interesting in hand, both for subject matter and for metallic art. One of these might make a good coin for a type set that includes circulating world coins, bimetallic coins, or for the top end of a set of coins by value (500 Yen isn't cheap even in the Japanese economy, and with a current USD value of $5.88, is reportedly the highest denominated coin in circulation anywhere). The coin-in-a-card is really attractive, and might make a nice and probably lasting gift to an internationally-minded kid.
Well, if you're still reading, then here's what's on offer!
My Usual Terms: All prices include delivery. 7-day return guarantee allows return of an item for full price refund. Payment preferred by check or money order, but Paypal accepted. If by Paypal, please add 1.5% to split the fees with me.
Coin-in-a-card. Here are the 1st year coins (Shimane, Hokkaido and Kyoto), and 2 of the 2nd year coins (Ibaraki and Nara). "Buy the coin, not the holder", but these holders sure are pretty, too! Information on the reverse of the cards is in English, not just Japanese. 2 available of each, $18 each card
2008 Shimane
2008 Hokkaido
2008 Kyoto
2009 Ibaraki
2009 Nara
The 2009 Four-coin set: Nagano, Niigata, Nara, and Ibaraki. While they are not proofs, the clads in these sets appear pleasingly proof-like. 2 sets available, $60 each set
The "circulating" coins of 2010, Fu-kui, Gifu and Kochi. The business-strike clads are distributed raw at face value by banks and the Japan Post, limited to 2 coins per person. (Only the 2010 coins are in current distribution.) Unfortunately, not all the clerks who distribute these treat them as collectors would: some coins may bear traces of fingerprints. Satisfaction guaranteed, though - if you don't like yours, I will accept a return and make a 100% refund of the purchase price. 5 available of each. $10 each, or set of 3 different for $25
(An American blogger living in Japan wrote this succint background about the three 2010 Prefecture issues:
Info about the Gifu, Fu-kui, and Kochi subjects...)
2010 Fu-kui
2010 Gifu
2010 Kochi
Coins in the Prefectures Program have a common reverse. For the business-strike clad, a "latent dual-image" is incorporated as a deterrant to counterfeiters. At certain angles, the number "60" appears, but at other angles, it changes to the number "47":
Meanwhile, at most angles no number at all is visible in the center:
A regular Pawlonia Leaf 500-Yen clad coin, 2009 (Heisei Year 21). It's a recent year of the regular 500 Yen coin, which is not part of the 47 Prefectures program. Somewhat circulated, but still nice with bright fields. [Sold]
As shown in the far-right image above, the Pawlonia Leaf 500 Yen coin also has a "latent image" feature. It reads "500 Y" in one direction only, on each zero in the "500".
FWIW, I did exchange US MONEY into yen before I bought these coins for resale! I hope this post will be worthwhile to some of you who might be interested in this sort of thing, but who don't normally read the World Coin forums.Here are all 10 prefectures of the 500-Yen coins that have been minted so far in the Japan Mint's "47 Prefectures Program". These are the business-strike, bi-color clad coins from the program, only. No clad proofs, or silver proofs are here.
The minting process of the bi-color clads evidently represents 2 advanced technologies in coin production. For one, the reverse features a unique double "latent image", created by reflection off specially shaped metal ridges. (See the bottom-half of the post for pictures of both the "47" and the "60" images here.) For another, 3 metallic compositions (nickel-brass, cupronickel and copper) are combined to make the planchet in a method that I can't find a thing about. I do not think there is any colorization here, just natural color of the alloys.
While collecting the 47 prefectures is daunting, even in the bicolor clads, or senseless if it's not your cup of tea, individually the coins are quite interesting in hand, both for subject matter and for metallic art. One of these might make a good coin for a type set that includes circulating world coins, bimetallic coins, or for the top end of a set of coins by value (500 Yen isn't cheap even in the Japanese economy, and with a current USD value of $5.88, is reportedly the highest denominated coin in circulation anywhere). The coin-in-a-card is really attractive, and might make a nice and probably lasting gift to an internationally-minded kid.
Well, if you're still reading, then here's what's on offer!
My Usual Terms: All prices include delivery. 7-day return guarantee allows return of an item for full price refund. Payment preferred by check or money order, but Paypal accepted. If by Paypal, please add 1.5% to split the fees with me.
Coin-in-a-card. Here are the 1st year coins (Shimane, Hokkaido and Kyoto), and 2 of the 2nd year coins (Ibaraki and Nara). "Buy the coin, not the holder", but these holders sure are pretty, too! Information on the reverse of the cards is in English, not just Japanese. 2 available of each, $18 each card
2008 Shimane
2008 Hokkaido
2008 Kyoto
2009 Ibaraki
2009 Nara
The 2009 Four-coin set: Nagano, Niigata, Nara, and Ibaraki. While they are not proofs, the clads in these sets appear pleasingly proof-like. 2 sets available, $60 each set
The "circulating" coins of 2010, Fu-kui, Gifu and Kochi. The business-strike clads are distributed raw at face value by banks and the Japan Post, limited to 2 coins per person. (Only the 2010 coins are in current distribution.) Unfortunately, not all the clerks who distribute these treat them as collectors would: some coins may bear traces of fingerprints. Satisfaction guaranteed, though - if you don't like yours, I will accept a return and make a 100% refund of the purchase price. 5 available of each. $10 each, or set of 3 different for $25
(An American blogger living in Japan wrote this succint background about the three 2010 Prefecture issues:
Info about the Gifu, Fu-kui, and Kochi subjects...)
2010 Fu-kui
2010 Gifu
2010 Kochi
Coins in the Prefectures Program have a common reverse. For the business-strike clad, a "latent dual-image" is incorporated as a deterrant to counterfeiters. At certain angles, the number "60" appears, but at other angles, it changes to the number "47":
Meanwhile, at most angles no number at all is visible in the center:
A regular Pawlonia Leaf 500-Yen clad coin, 2009 (Heisei Year 21). It's a recent year of the regular 500 Yen coin, which is not part of the 47 Prefectures program. Somewhat circulated, but still nice with bright fields. [Sold]
As shown in the far-right image above, the Pawlonia Leaf 500 Yen coin also has a "latent image" feature. It reads "500 Y" in one direction only, on each zero in the "500".
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