List of Japanese coinage patterns

The following is a list of Japanese pattern coins from the yen based currency system started under the Meiji Restoration.

[1] The first patterns of the yen based system were made from 1869 to 1870 as presentation pieces to the Emperor.

The new currency system was eventually adopted by the Meiji government in an Act signed on June 27, 1871.

[1] Pattern coins are almost never released into circulation as they are made for evaluation purposes only.

[2] Most of the patterns listed below are very rare, and sell for considerable amounts at auctions.

Experimental Japanese coins were struck in porcelain towards the end of World War II . These pattern coins were never issued for circulation, though some privately made ones circulated unofficially.
KM-Pn83 (shown here) and KM-Pn85 were struck but never released.