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5 Yen
| Issuer | Great Imperial Japanese Government (Dai Nippon Teikoku Seifu Shihei) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1882 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 5 Yen |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Size | Log in to see details |
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| Printer | Log in to see details |
| Designer(s) | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | The obverse is printed in reddish-brown and black tones, centered on the large kanji inscription 五圓 (Go En, Five Yen) flanked by an oval portrait vignette at right enclosing a young woman in traditional Japanese attire, set within an ornate floral-guilloche border. To the left, a circular red seal of the Ministry of Finance (大蔵省) is inset within an elaborate medallion, while the Imperial chrysanthemum crest appears above at center. The note carries vertical Japanese text inscriptions along the top and margins, including the Meiji era date and issuing authority, with the printer's imprint running along the lower margin. |
|---|---|
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Signature(s) | Log in to see details |
| Protection type | Official stamp |
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| Comments |
The Dai Nippon Teikoku Seifu Shihei notes were government-issue currency, distinct from Bank of Japan obligations, which didn't begin until 1885. This 1882 5 Yen predates the Bank of Japan's founding by just one year — the government was still managing currency directly through the Finance Ministry while simultaneously drafting the central banking legislation that would eventually displace these notes from circulation.
The Printing Bureau had only recently modernized its intaglio capabilities in the late 1870s, partly through technical exchange with European firms. The official stamp security feature reflects the period's reliance on authentication at point of issue rather than embedded printing technology.