Japan 10 Yen - 1952 to 1981 - Showa Years 27 to 56 - Select Year(s) and Quantity - Birthdays, Jewelry, buttons, crafts or collections

Issuer Japan
Emperor Shōwa (1926-1989)
Type Standard circulation coin
Years 37-56 (1952-1981)
Calendar Japanese - Shōwa era
Value 10 Yen
Currency Yen (1871-date)
Composition Bronze
Weight 4.5 g
Diameter 23.5 mm
Thickness 1.5 mm
Mint Japan Mint / Dokuritsu Gyōsei Hōjin Zōheikyoku), Hiroschima, Japan
Obverse Phoenix Hall of Byōdō-in, a Buddhist temple in Uji, Kyoto prefecture, with the kanji for "Japan" and "Ten Yen".
Reverse Bay laurel leaves

Bronze ten yen coins were first minted in 1951, but were not released for general circulation until January 4, 1953. Ten yen coins minted between 1950 and 1958 have reeded edges and are nicknamed Giza 10 (Giza Ju, ギザ10), meaning “jagged 10 yen coin” in Japanese. The design which is used today features Phoenix Hall of Byōdō-in on the obverse, and Bay laurel leaves on the reverse. The design remains essentially the same other than the reeds being dropped in 1959 which gave the coins a smooth edge. Slight modifications were also made in the latter half of 1986 regarding the design of Byōdō-in.

These coins are not culturally recommended as shrine offerings as another word for "10" is "toh" (十), and another word for "yen" is "en" (円). Combining these characters into "toh-en" can also read as "far destiny". Ten yen coins continue to be produced up to the present under the Reiwa era.

Listing photos are representative, patina varies from coin to coin.