Catalog
20 Sen Pattern
| Issuer | Japan |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 2.17 g |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Log in to see details |
| Obverse description | The obverse features the Imperial chrysanthemum mon (sixteen-petalled chrysanthemum seal) positioned at the upper center of the field, serving as the imperial emblem of Japan. Beneath the mon, the denomination is rendered vertically in three large Japanese kanji characters reading '二十錢' (Twenty Sen), occupying the central axis of the coin. The field is otherwise plain and unadorned, with no surrounding legend. The coin is bordered by a distinctive milled inner ring of fine dentils encircling the entire design. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Reeded |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Pattern coinage from Meiji-era Japan occupies an unusually well-documented corner of numismatics, largely because the mint at Osaka kept meticulous records of experimental strikes. This piece likely dates to the transitional period when Japan was actively retooling its coinage system under Western advisors, testing alloy compositions before committing to production specifications. The billon formula here — with nickel added to the silver-copper mix — suggests a cost-reduction trial, not a metallurgical accident.
No 20 sen denomination in this composition ever entered circulation.