Japan discovers 500,000 World War II -ceramic coins-, the first and largest batch in history

In recent news from Japan, a remarkable discovery has been made in Kyoto – a significant cache of previously discarded earthenware coins has been unearthed. This collection of “clay currency” dates back around 80 years, created during a time of resource shortages due to wartime constraints.

According to a report by Yomiuri Shimbun, the Japan Mint announced that a staggering 500,000 earthenware coins were found in a warehouse near the site of a manufacturing plant in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto. These coins have not been in circulation since after World War II, making this find particularly noteworthy as it marks the first time such a large quantity has come to light.

The Japan Mint began producing clay coins around 1944, driven by the diversion of traditional metallic materials like copper and aluminum for military uses. By 1945, three private factories in cities including Seto in Aichi Prefecture and Arita in Saga Prefecture were contracted to produce approximately 15 million earthenware coins. However, with the stabilization of metal supplies after the war, the Japanese government ordered the cancellation of these coins before their official release, resulting in only a small number being circulated, most of which are now housed in museums.

The newly discovered coins all have a face value of “1 sen,” measuring about 1.5 centimeters in diameter. One side features an image of Mount Fuji, while the other side showcases cherry blossoms. The coins were initially found in the warehouse of a dental equipment company named Matsukaze, where they had been stored in a wooden box. This company reached out to the mint last August to reclaim these rare pieces of clay currency.