Coin of the Week: 1976 Japan 50 Yen

Obverse (Image: Chrysanthemum)

Reverse (Value, Year of Minting)

The currency of Japan is the Japanese yen, with 1 yen equalling 100 sen. The yen, meaning "a round object", was adopted in 1871 and replaced the previous and more complex monetary system, Tokugawa coinage. The Japanese yen is the third most traded currency (after the US Dollar and Euro) in the foreign exchange market and is also widely used as a reserve currency.

The design of the 50 yen coin has not changed since 1967. The obverse features a chrysanthemum. It is believed that this flower was first introduced to Japan around the 8th Century. It impressed the Japanese Emperors, who included the flower in their crest, and to this day is regarded as a symbol of the sun. The Japanese consider the way that the chrysanthemum's petals unfold to represent perfection. They celebrate the flower annually during a "chrysanthemum festival" known as the Festival of Happiness.

The reverse of the coin features the value and year of minting. The year of minting uses a Japanese era calendar scheme. The four eras (an era is called nengo) since the introduction of the Japanese yen are the Meiji (from 1868 - 1912), the Taisho (from 1912 - 1926), the Showa (from 1926 - 1989) and the Heisei (from 1989 - present). The year shown on the coin is the year number within a particular era. For example, this 50 yen coin was minted in the year 51 of the Showa era. Japanese era names are not only used on coins but usually required on official government documents as well.

Coin of the Week: 1971 Indonesia 50 Rupiah

Obverse (Coin Denomination)

Reverse (Image: Greater Bird of Paradise)

The currency of the Republic of Indonesia is the rupiah. The rupiah is divided into 100 sen, although inflation has made all coins and banknotes denominated in sen obsolete. The rupiah was first introduced in 1946, replacing the Japanese gulden that had been introduced during their occupation of the Indonesian islands in the Second World War. However, the rupiah still competed with the Dutch NICA (Netherlands Indies Civil Administration) gulden and other forms of currency until Indonesia's independence was recognized in 1949 and the Bank of Indonesia was established at the end of 1951. More about the various forms of currency during Indonesia's colonial and occupational periods can be found here.

Coins were first introduced in 1951 in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 sen. Due to extremely high inflation, coins were no longer issued between 1961 and 1971. Once inflation was under control again, new coins were introduced in 1971 using the rupiah. The designs were fairly simple, with the obverse featuring the Bank of Indonesia, denomination and year of issue. The reverse of the 50 rupiah piece depicts the Greater Bird of Paradise, a native bird of Indonesia. The Swedish botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus named the species "legless bird of paradise" because natives prepared the birds without feet when trading them with Europeans.