20 sen note

The first twenty sen notes adopted and released by the Japanese government are part of a series known as Meiji Tsūhō (明治通宝).

The "Paper Money Office" (known today as the National Printing Bureau) was later established in July of that year following the abolition of the han system.

These notes were left incomplete for security reasons which required the words "Meiji Tsuho" and the mark of the Minister of Finance to be supplemented and printed at the Paper Money Bureau.

Woodblock printing was eventually employed to save hundreds of people the work of handwriting the characters "Meiji Tsuho" on each individual note.

These twenty sen notes were eventually released in April, 1872 (year 5) giving Japan a westernized currency system to go with the recently established yen.

[7] The old Meiji Tsūhō twenty sen notes were eventually phased out in exchange for subsidiary silver coinage before being abolished on December 9, 1899.

[8][9] Previous Meiji Tsūhō twenty sen notes were printed using western technology which had its disadvantages in terms of quality.

[6] Twenty sen notes from this series are referred to as Ōkura-kyō (大蔵卿20銭) aka 改造紙幣20銭, as the seal of the Chief administrator of the Ministry of the Treasury is featured on the obverse design.

[12] The redesigned yen denominations feature an artist's representation of Empress Jingū that was commissioned by Italian engraver Edoardo Chiossone.

[25] To remedy the situation an imperial ordinance was promulgated on October 29, 1917 issuing fractional currency in the amount of thirty million yen.

[21] The obverse side of the notes feature the Finance Minister's seal and chrysanthemum flower emblem, while on the reverse is decorated in a colored pattern.

There is a central feature on the reverse side which mentions counterfeit penalties (1 year imprisonment or 200,000 yen fine) enforced by law.

Rapid inflation caused by World War II eventually rendered Taishō twenty sen notes worthless and obsolete.

[33][34] Subsidiary coinage and currency as a whole was eventually demonetized at the end of 1953 when the Japanese government passed a law abolishing it in favor of the yen.

[36] The value of any given banknote is determined by survivability rate and condition as collectors in general prefer original notes with bright rich coloring.