Japanese Yen currency - Great Imperial Japanese Circulating Notes, National Bank Notes.

Great Imperial Japanese Circulating Note - National bank notes.

This note shows the bow of a ship at a full capacity of warriors at the left with a single Japanese Samurai warrior at the right armed with a bow and arrows. The reverse then shows the large ensuing costal battle scene with the land warriors prevailing depicting the defeat of the Mongols in Hakata Harbor.

Japanese 2 Yen banknote of 1873, banknotes design looks similar to the U.S. First Charter National Bank notes.

  The 2 Yen note with Samurai warrior in armor on left and right, and a vignette of a castle gateway on the back.


Great Imperial Japanese Circulating Note which is among the most highly desirable notes issued by Japan. These notes were printed by the Continental Banknote Company in New York and offer sensational designs. Issued on the First National bank of Japan, Tokyo, also known as The Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, these National Banknotes are surprisingly similar to the First Charter National Banknotes that the U.S.A. circulated and show vignettes at the left and right on the face with a large central vignette on the reverse.

The National Bank Act of 1872 led to the establishment of 4 banks between 1873 and 1874, until there were more than 153 national banks by the end of 1879. The national banks issued identically designed convertible notes, which were effective in funding the industry and progressively replaced government notes. In 1876, an amendment allowed the banks to make the banknotes virtually non convertible. These national banknotes imitated the design of American banknotes, although the name of the issuer was different for each.

Severe inflation broke out with the Seinan Civil War in 1877. This was controlled by the reduction of government spending and the removal of paper currency from circulation. During the Seinan Civil War, an original type of paper money was issued by the rebel leader Saigō Takamori in order to finance his war effort.

These two rare Japanese National banknotes were offered for sale at "Downies Australian Coin Auctions"
   One Yen - Estimate Price $6,000
   Two Yen - Estimate Price $7,500