5 yen and 50 yen coins (2024)

Dear Alice,

I never saw a coin with a hole in the middle of it until I came to Japan, so I’m totally fascinated by the 5-yen and 50-yen coins. I even send them as gifts to friends back home, sometimes strung on chains as jewelry. However, no one I’ve met has been able to explain to me why those holes are there. What the heck is the story on Japan’s holey coins?

Sharon T., Kagoshima

  • 5 yen and 50 yen coins (1)

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5 yen and 50 yen coins (2024)

FAQs

What is unique about the 5 yen and 50 yen coins used in Japan? ›

But the 5 Yen coin actually holds a special place among the different coins of the japanese currency. Though it is not the only coin with a hole in it (the 50 Yen coin does have one as well), it's the only one without arabic numerals.

Are 5 yen coins rare? ›

Very few five yen coins were minted between 2009 and 2013 ,making them premium coins for collectors as coins for the latter four years are confined to mint sets. This was due to an increase in the usage of electronic currency which inhibited demand for new coins.

Is 50 yen rare? ›

Old style 50 yen notes made during the Meiji era are considered to be very rare today with few existing examples, these were first issued in 1872 and later discontinued in 1899. The next series of 50 yen bills were intended to be issued in 1927, but were never released for circulation due to the Shōwa financial crisis.

What is the 5 Yen coin called? ›

The five-yen coin, or "go-en dama" in Japanese, is no ordinary currency.

Why does 50 yen have a hole? ›

In 1959, because it resembled the 100-yen coin in size and color, the 50-yen coin was pierced to make it more distinguishable from the 100-yen piece. The current 50-yen coin was first struck in 1967.

How much is a Japanese coin worth in the US? ›

1 JPY = 0.007027 USD Aug 05, 2024 09:02 UTC

The currency converter below is easy to use and the currency rates are updated frequently.

Are 5 yen coins lucky? ›

The Japanese 5-yen coin is also called “go-en” 五円. Because it sounds the same as the “go-en” of destiny, many Japanese people believe that having a 5-yen coin around helps them find what the Universe has in store for them. It could be a soul-mate, a dream job, the perfect house, etc.

What can you buy with 50 yen? ›

50-yen coins can be used to buy individually-packed candy known as dagashi, and these coins can also be used to buy discount drinks at places like Don Quijote.

What is the value of 1 yen coin? ›

1 JPY = 0.544448 INR Jul 28, 2024 21:20 UTC.

What is the oldest coin in Japan? ›

Wadōkaichin (和同開珎), also romanized as Wadō-kaichin or called Wadō-kaihō, is the oldest official Japanese coinage, first mentioned for 29 August 708 on order of Empress Genmei. It was long considered to be the first type of coin produced in Japan.

What is the highest yen coin? ›

The 500 yen coin (Japanese: 五百円硬貨, Hepburn: Gohyaku-en kōka) is the largest denomination of Japanese yen coin issued for circulation.

What is the expensive Japanese coin? ›

The 10 Ryo, struck in 1588, is undeniably the most valuable Japanese coin. It is among the first Oban coins to be struck in the country and originates from the Tensho period. In Japanese history and culture, Oban were large, oval-shaped plates cut from gold. They topped the ranks as the country's largest denomination.

What are 1 yen coins used for? ›

One-yen coins have also seen non monetary usage; since all 1-yen coins weigh just one gram, they are sometimes used as weights. If placed carefully on the surface of still water, 1-yen coins will not break surface tension and thus can also float.

What are some facts about Japanese currency? ›

The yen (Japanese: 円, symbol: ¥; code: JPY) is the official currency of Japan. It is the third-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market, after the United States dollar and the euro.

What is the special character for Japanese yen currency? ›

The symbol of the yen is ¥, along with JP¥, which is sometimes used to separate the Japanese yen from the Chinese yuan renminbi, which shares the same symbol. The Japanese currency is the third most traded currency in the world after the United States dollar, (USD), and euro (EUR).

What is 50 cents in Japanese yen? ›

The price of converting 1 50Cent (50C) to JPY is ¥5.16 today.

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