Taishō 50 Sen
Japan
1917–1926
Reference data compiled from public catalogs
Estimated Melt Value
$27.42
Based on Silver spot price ($78.96/oz) · 80.0% purity · 13.5g
Updated 10:08 PM
Collector premium not included
Specifications
| Country | Japan |
| Years Minted | 1917–1926 |
| Composition | 80% silver, 20% copper |
| Weight | 13.5 g |
| Diameter | 23.5 mm |
| Shape | Round |
| Edge | Reeded |
Design
Obverse
Features the Imperial chrysanthemum crest and the Japanese era year.
Reverse
Displays the denomination '50 Sen' surrounded by a wreath of paulownia and sakura leaves.
History & Notable Facts
The Taishō 50 Sen, Japan's silver half-yen coin, contained 0.1905 troy ounces of 0.800 fine silver, which often made it worth more as bullion than as currency during the 1920s price spikes.
That composition reflected Japan's shift from traditional minting practices, with the Osaka Mint producing these coins on high-speed presses introduced in the early 20th century. The obverse showed the chrysanthemum crest, while the reverse featured paulownia leaves and the denomination in both kanji and Arabic numerals—a nod to international trade, though not always smoothly executed. Variations exist in edge lettering and die types across the years.
Mintage figures for some years remain unclear, lost in wartime records. As for myths, no, it wasn't cursed by the emperor; that's just collector nonsense.
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