Coin Japan 10 Sen - Dragon - Meiji Year 3 - 1870 - Silver

Remarks:

Slight signs of wear.

An emblematic coin from the early days of the modern yen

The 10 sen minted in the 3rd year of the Meiji era (1870) belongs to the very first issues of the modern Japanese monetary system. This period marks a key turning point in Japan's economic history: after the imperial restoration of 1868, the government undertook a rapid modernization of the country and profoundly reformed the currency to unify trade and facilitate international openness.

The Monetary Law of 1871 officially introduced the yen, subdivided into sen, on a decimal model inspired by Western standards. The new silver coins, including the 10 sen, embody this desire for technical and economic alignment with the major powers of the time.

Minted during the reign of Emperor Meiji (1867-1912), this coin weighs 2.5 grams and has a diameter of 17.57 millimeters. Its composition is silver, with a fineness of 800?. The coin is round in shape.

The obverse of the coin features a radiant sun, surrounded by a beaded circle. A chrysanthemum flower is positioned at the top, between two paulownias. A crown, composed of paulownia and chrysanthemum leaves, tied with a ribbon, adorns the lower part.

The reverse of the coin features a dragon, also surrounded by a beaded circle. A circular legend indicates "3rd year Meiji era", "Empire of Japan" and "10 sen". The script used on this coin is traditional Chinese in regular style. The following inscription can be read: ???? · ??? · ? ? ·

This coin was produced in 6,102,674 copies. The currency used at the time was the yen (from 1871 to the present day), and the value of this coin was 0.10 yen.