Identify Your Japanese Coin

Work out what a Japanese coin is from its shape, inscription, date and metal. Every entry links to the encyclopedia, where facts carry their sources.

1. Look at the shape

Square hole in the centre → holed cash coin (ana-sen). Oval and gold → ōban / koban. Irregular silver lump → chōgin / mameita-gin. Round, machine-struck → modern coinage (Meiji era, 1868 onward). Paper → banknote or han-satsu domain note.

2. Read the date (modern coins)

Coins from 1868 onward carry an era name and a year, e.g. 明治三年 = Meiji 3. Western year = base year + era year. The first year is written 元 (gan).

Era	Years	Western year
明治 Meiji	1868–1912	1867 + era year (e.g. Meiji 3 = 1870)
大正 Taishō	1912–1926	1911 + era year (e.g. Taishō 3 = 1914)
昭和 Shōwa	1926–1989	1925 + era year (e.g. Shōwa 3 = 1928)
平成 Heisei	1989–2019	1988 + era year (e.g. Heisei 3 = 1991)
令和 Reiwa	2019–—	2018 + era year (e.g. Reiwa 3 = 2021)

Kanji numerals: 元=1 (first year)一=1二=2三=3四=4五=5六=6七=7八=8九=9十=10廿=20卅=30

3. Match the inscription (holed coins) 14 entries

Read the four characters around the hole top, bottom, right, left (e.g. 寛永通宝 Kan'ei Tsūhō). Characters on the reverse indicate the mint or period.

4. Search by metal and denomination (ōban, koban, chōgin, modern coins)

Edo-period gold 17 entries

Edo-period silver 21 entries

Modern coinage (Meiji–Shōwa) 27 entries

5. Commemoratives and banknotes

Find the value

Auction records and the price guide are built from real hammer prices.

Auction records Price guide Request an appraisal