January 22, 2021
Ministry of Finance
Issuance of New 500-Yen Coin and Commemorative Coins
As announced on April 9, 2019, the Ministry of Finance has decided on the design specifications of the new 500-yen coin.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance has decided to issue new commemorative coins for the 150th anniversary of the postal system and the 150th anniversary of the modern currency system and has finalized their design specifications.
1. New 500-yen coin
(1) Outline
| Design | (Obverse)
 |
(Reverse)
 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
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New Security Features (See Attachment 1)
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Application of new technology, bicolor clad, to the materials (two-color, three-layer structure).
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Application of “helical ridges with two different pitches” to the edge of the coin. *
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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).
(Note) On April 9, 2019, the Ministry of Finance announced it would be issuing new 500-yen coin in the first half of fiscal 2021. Considering the impact of the novel coronavirus infection on the modification of money handling equipment, however, the Ministry of Finance is considering postponing the release. The Ministry of Finance will announce the revised schedule after assessing the situation.
◎The current series of 500-yen coins will remain valid after the issuance of the new series.
◎Please be aware of fraudulent practices claiming that the current series of 500-yen coins are invalid.
2. Commemorative Coins
(1) Commemorative Coins for the 150th Anniversary of Postal System
Japan’s postal system will celebrate its 150th anniversary in April 2021. To commemorate this, the Ministry of Finance has decided on the designs of the coins for the 150th anniversary, as shown below, and will issue them in the manner specified in Attachment 2.
| Type | 10,000-yen gold coin | 1,000-yen silver coin |
|---|---|---|
| Design (Obverse) |
 Letter collection box (Japan’s first mailbox) and a work scene of mail being loaded |
|
| Design (Reverse) |
 The entrance to the former Tokyo Central Post Office |
 The entrance to the former Tokyo Central Post Office |
(Note 1) The diameters are 26 mm for the 10,000-yen gold coin and 40 mm for the 1,000-yen silver coin.
(Note 2) See References 1 and 2 for the details of the designs.
(2) Commemorative Coins for the 150th Anniversary of Modern Currency System
Japan’s modern currency system will celebrate its 150th anniversary in June 2021. To commemorate this, the Ministry of Finance has decided on the designs of the coins for the 150th anniversary, as shown below, and will issue them in the manner specified in Attachment 2.
| Type | 10,000-yen gold coin | 5,000-yen gold coin | 1,000-yen silver coin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design (Obverse) |
The character “ |
The character “ |
The character “ |
| Design (Reverse) |
Current regular currency (six types) coin |
Current regular currency (six types) coin |
Current regular currency (six types) coin |
(yen)” with a chrysanthemum and paulownia(Note 1) The diameters are 26 mm for the 10,000-yen gold coin, 20 mm for the 5,000-yen gold coin and 40 mm for the 1,000-yen silver coin.
(Note 2) See References 3, 4 and 5 for the details of the designs.
All inquiries regarding this release should be addressed to:
Currency Planning Section, Office of Currency Matters, Treasury Division, Financial Bureau
Phone: 03-3581-4111 (operator)
(Attachment 1)
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.
(Attachment 2)
1. Outline of Commemorative Coins for the 150th Anniversary of Postal System
| Type of coin | 10,000-yen gold coin | 1,000-yen silver coin |
|---|---|---|
| Denomination | 10,000 yen | 1,000 yen |
| Material | Gold | Silver |
| Quality | Pure gold | Pure silver |
| Weight | 15.6 g | 31.1 g |
| Diameter | 26 mm | 40 mm |
| Colors | - | White, gray, black, blue, red, brown, ocher, and yellow |
| Other features | Helical ridges, etc. | Helical ridges, etc. |
| Number of coins to be issued | 20,000 | 50,000 |
| Application period (estimated shipment date) |
About three weeks from April 21, 2021 (from around late in August 2021) |
|
| Sales price (including tax) |
145,000 yen | 11,700 yen |
| Remarks |
The above commemorative coins can be purchased from the Japan Mint through mail-order sales (the coins will not be exchanged at financial institutions). |
|
(Note) Since these coins, using precious metals, are crafted with special technologies, the cost required to manufacture them exceeds their face value, making them premium-grade commemorative coins.
(Contact for inquiries on purchase/ordering procedures)
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The commemorative 10,000-yen gold coins and 1,000-yen silver coins for the 150th anniversary of the postal system will not be exchanged at financial institutions, and instead will only be available through mail-order to the Japan Mint.
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The sales information, including ordering procedures, will be announced on the website of the Japan Mint（https://www.mint.go.jp/）after 5:00 pm on Tuesday, April 20, 2021.
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Contact for inquiries on application procedures (available from 5:00 pm on Tuesday, April 20, 2021): Japan Mint Hello Dial system (Telephone: 050-5548-8686; available from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm; operating 365 days a year)
2. Outline of Commemorative Coins for the 150th Anniversary of Modern Currency System
| Type of coin | 10,000-yen gold coin | 5,000-yen gold coin | 1,000-yen silver coin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denomination | 10,000 yen | 5,000 yen | 1,000 yen |
| Material | Gold | Gold | Silver |
| Quality | Pure gold | Pure gold | Pure silver |
| Weight | 15.6 g | 7.8 g | 31.1 g |
| Diameter | 26 mm | 20 mm | 40 mm |
| Colors | - | - | - |
| Other features | Helical ridges, etc. | Helical ridges, etc. | Helical ridges, etc. |
| Number of coins to be issued | 20,000 | 20,000 | 50,000 |
| Application period (estimated shipment date) |
About three weeks from July 16, 2021 (from around early in September 2021) |
From around September 2021 |
|
| Sales price (including tax) |
145,000 yen | 76,000 yen | 11,700 yen |
| Remarks |
The above commemorative coins can be purchased from the Japan Mint through mail-order sales (the coins will not be exchanged at financial institutions). |
||
(Note) Since these coins, using precious metals, are crafted with special technologies, the cost required to manufacture them exceeds their face value, making them premium-grade commemorative coins.
(Contact for inquiries on purchase/ordering procedures)
-
The commemorative 10,000-yen gold coins, 5,000-yen gold coins, and 1,000-yen silver coins for the 150th anniversary of the modern currency system will not be exchanged at financial institutions, and instead will only be available through mail-order to the Japan Mint.
-
The sales information, including ordering procedures for 10,000-yen gold coins will be announced on the website of the Japan Mint（https://www.mint.go.jp/）after 5:00 pm on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.
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Contact for inquiries on application procedures for 10,000-yen gold coins (available from 5:00 pm on Tuesday, June 15, 2021): Japan Mint Hello Dial system (Telephone: 050-5548-8686; available from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm; operating 365 days a year)
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The application period for 5,000-yen gold coins and 1,000-yen silver coins will be around September 2021. The sales information, including ordering procedures, including the scheduled shipping time, will be announced by the Japan Mint around June 2021.