Catalog
1 Yen US Military Currency - A-Note
| Issuer | Allied Military Authority (Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1946 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Reference(s) | P#66 |
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|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Printed in brown on a pink guilloche underprint, the reverse is dominated by a large central intaglio vignette of an ornate acanthus-leaf scroll ornament with oak branches to the right. A Japanese text panel across the top reads the legal authority clause, with the English equivalent 'ISSUED PURSUANT TO MILITARY PROCLAMATION' lettered in a panel along the lower border. |
| Reverse lettering | 軍事布告に基き発行す ISSUED PURSUANT TO MILITARY PROCLAMATION (Translation: Issued pursuant to military proclamation) |
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| Comments |
The "A-series" yen notes were issued by SCAP to replace the Japanese military scrip that had flooded the occupation zone and to prevent Allied personnel from exploiting the exchange rate between dollars and yen. The designation "A-Note" comes from the red "A" suffix on the serial numbers, distinguishing this second issue from the initial 1945 series. Procurement was handled entirely through U.S. government print facilities — Japan had no role in production.
Circulation was legally restricted to Allied personnel, but the notes moved freely into the Japanese economy regardless, accelerating inflation the series was partly designed to contain.