Nagano Olympic Commemorative 5,000-Yen Silver Coins | Three Designs and Issue Record

According to the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), the XVIII Olympic Winter Games (Nagano 1998) were held over 16 days, from 7 to 22 February 1998, with 7 sports and 68 events.

According to the Ministry of Finance's list, exchange of the 5,000-yen silver coins began on 7 February 1997 (Heisei 9) for the first series, 7 August 1997 for the second and 2 February 1998 (Heisei 10) for the third. The first came exactly one year before the opening, the third 5 days before it. The coins of the first and second series are dated Heisei 9 and those of the third Heisei 10.

The 10,000-yen gold coins of the same Games were sold at a sales price, but the rows for the 5,000-yen silver coins have no sales price; they give only the face value and the exchange start date.

The obverse of the third series shows "Paralympic alpine skiing". Reading the Ministry of Finance's list from the first row, this silver coin is the first commemorative coin whose design shows a Paralympic sport. The commemorative event column, however, reads "Nagano Olympic Winter Games" and does not include the Paralympics.

According to the Japanese Para Sports Association, the Nagano 1998 Paralympic Games opened on 5 March 1998 and closed on 14 March. 571 athletes from 31 countries took part in 5 sports: alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, ice sledge hockey and ice sledge speed racing. The Association records that these were the first Winter Paralympic Games held outside Europe.

The exchange start date of the third-series silver coin (2 February 1998) was 31 days before the opening of the Paralympics.

The reverse of all three is "Japanese serow (the prefectural animal of Nagano)". According to Nagano Prefecture, the prefectural bird, animal, tree and flower were decided in 1966 (Shōwa 41) on the basis of a vote of residents, and the Japanese serow was chosen as the prefectural animal with 5,256 votes (the squirrel was second with 1,300).

In the Agency for Cultural Affairs' database of nationally designated cultural properties, the Japanese serow was designated a Natural Monument on 1 May 1934 and a Special Natural Monument on 15 February 1955. The designation describes it as "an animal unique to this country and extremely precious".

The reverse of the 10,000-yen gold coin of the same Games shows the prefectural flower, the gentian, and that of the 500-yen cupronickel coin the prefectural bird, the rock ptarmigan, so each denomination carries a different symbol of Nagano Prefecture.

Japan's first commemorative coins were issued for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964 (Shōwa 39). The Ministry of Finance states that commemorative coins date from the Tokyo Olympic Commemorative 1,000-Yen Silver Coin and that there are none from before it.

According to the list, the Tokyo 1,000-yen silver coin was a silver alloy of silver 925 and copper 75, measuring 35.0 mm and weighing 20.0 g, with 15,000,000 issued. The Nagano 5,000-yen silver coin is the same silver alloy of silver 925 and copper 75, measuring 30.0 mm and weighing 15.0 g, with 5,000,000 of each. Its face value is five times higher, yet the Nagano coin is smaller and lighter.