500 Yen

The 1982 500 Yen coin was Japan's first bi-metallic circulation piece, pairing a brass center with a cupro-nickel outer ring to combat counterfeiting in an era of rising forgery attempts.

This design wasn't just for show. At 7 grams and 26.5 mm across, it featured Paulownia flowers on the obverse and the denomination on the reverse, making it practical for everyday use. Exact mintage figures are murky; records from that period can be inconsistent, as the Japanese Mint didn't always publish them reliably.

I've turned over enough of these coins to know they're unremarkable in person, despite the hype. A vending machine staple in Japan, it's held up well against wear, though that's more engineering than magic.