½ Yen
Issuer Japan
Type Standard circulation banknotes
Obverse
Black on green underprint. Vertical symmetrical design; two facing phoenix and dragons flanking Japanese text; green Ministry of Finance seal at top left.
Lettering: 半 半 省蔵大府政本日大 半 圓 明 治 通 宝 半 半
Reverse
Brown vertical symmetrical design; Ministry of Finance seals in red and blue; serial number in Japanese characters.
Lettering: 三八二三 ✶えひ 番 号 半 政大 府日 内本 蔵帝 卿國 半 番 号 三八二三 ✶えひ
Basic Information
Category
Banknote
Ruler
Meiji (Wikidata)
Demonetization
Yes (Date: 1899-12-31)
Issuing Entity
Great Japanese Government - Ministry of Finance
Face Value
½ Yen (Numeric: 0.5) (Fraction: 1/2)
Series
Meiji Tsūhō
Engravers
Obverse
Edoardo Chiossone
Reverse
Edoardo Chiossone
Physical Characteristics
Composition
Paper
Size
89 mm
Shape
Rectangular
Technical Details
Obverse Lettering
半 半 省蔵大府政本日大 半 圓 明 治 通 宝 半 半
Reverse Lettering
三八二三 ✶えひ 番 号 半 政大 府日 内本 蔵帝 卿國 半 番 号 三八二三 ✶えひ
Comments
Meiji Tsūhō are the first Japanese banknote made with Western printing technology were planned to be issued with the aim of reforming the monetary system and the substantial effect of the abolition of the feudal clans. They feature an elaborate design that was difficult to forge at the beginning as counterfeiting was previously rampant with clan notes.All arrivals from Germany were purposely left incomplete due to security reasons, the words "Meiji Tsūhō" and the seal of the Minister of Finance were added by the Imperial Printing Bureau first by hand and later by woodblock printing. Eventually enough Western technology was brought over to Japan as the Japanese government produced some notes domestically.Start of issue: 15th February Meiji 5 (1872)
