Coin Pièce Japan 1 sen Aluminium Sh?wa Tenn? 1941-1943 Tokyo

This 1 sen coin was issued by Japan between 1941 and 1943, during the reign of Emperor Sh?wa Tenn?, also known as Hirohito. It was struck at the Tokyo Mint.

Struck in aluminium, this metallurgical choice reflects the particular economic and industrial context of the period, marked by the constraints of the Second World War. The use of aluminium, a lightweight and inexpensive metal, allowed strategic metals such as copper and bronze to be preserved for the war effort. The coin has a very low weight of 0.65 grams and a diameter of 16 millimetres, characteristics that perfectly illustrate this economy of material.

The obverse of the coin features a representation of Mount Fuji, Japan's iconic volcano and a symbol of the Japanese nation for centuries. This iconography, chosen for a coin intended for everyday circulation, reflects the deep cultural and symbolic importance that this mountain holds within Japanese society. The denomination inscription and Japanese characters complete the reverse composition.

This issue is part of a monetary series produced during the Sh?wa 16 to 18 years of the Japanese calendar, corresponding to the Gregorian years 1941 to 1943. These coins now represent a direct numismatic testimony of a pivotal period in the history of modern Japan, illustrating the monetary adaptations imposed by the geopolitical circumstances of the time. Their small size, characteristic lightness and aluminium composition make them easily identifiable among Japanese issues of the early twentieth century.