April 27, 2021
Ministry of Finance
Issuance Schedule for the New 500-yen Coin
On April 9, 2019, the Ministry of Finance decided to manufacture 500-yen coin with new specifications, including new materials, to strengthen counterfeit resistance. The Ministry of Finance announced it would start issuing the coins (from the Bank of Japan to financial institutions) in the first half of fiscal 2021.
In January this year, however, the Ministry of Finance decided to postpone the issuance and make a further announcement after checking the readiness of money handling equipment, e.g., ATMs.
It has now been decided to proceed with the necessary preparations to start issuing the coins in November of this year.
The date of issuance will be announced by the Bank of Japan when its necessary preparations are complete.
The current 500-yen coins will remain valid after the issuance of the new 500-yen coins.
For the time being, some of the current 500-yen coins collected will be recirculated according to the demand for 500-yen coins in the market to ensure their smooth distribution.
Contact
Management Section, Currency Planning Section, Office of Currency Matters, Treasury Division, Financial Bureau
Phone: 03-3581-4111 (Representative)
Extension: 2556, 5765
◎The current 500-yen coins will remain valid after the issuance of the new 500-yen coins.
◎Please be aware of fraudulent practices claiming that the current 500-yen coins are invalid.
(Reference)
Designs of New 500-yen Coin
| Design |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  | |
 |  | |
| Material | Nickel-brass, cupronickel and copper | |
| Quality | Copper 75.0%, Zinc 12.5%, and Nickel 12.5% | |
| Weight | 7.1 g | |
| Diameter | 26.5 mm | |
New Security Features (See Attachment)
Application of new technology, bicolor clad, to the materials (two-color, three-layer structure).
Application of “helical ridges with two different pitches” to the edge of the coin. *
Micro lettering and numbers will be inscribed on the inside rim of the front of the coin.
* Two different pitches are applied to the helical ridges. It is the first time worldwide for this technology to be used to manufacture ordinary coins (coins for mass production).
(Attachment)
New Anti-counterfeiting Technology (New 500-yen Coin)
1. Application of new technology, bicolor clad, to the materials (two-color, three-layer structure).
2. Application of “helical ridges with two different pitches” to the edge of the coin.
- Two different pitches are applied to the helical ridges. It is the first time worldwide for this technology to be used to manufacture ordinary coins (coins for mass production).
3. Micro lettering and numbers will be inscribed on the inside rim of the front of the coin.
