12 November is the day of Akihito’s enthronement ceremony in 1990, and it was on 12 November 2009 that the commemorative 500 yen for the twentieth anniversary of his reign entered circulation. It was minted in 10 million pieces and dated «Heisei 21».

The whole coin is built on a single motif: a chrysanthemum blossom on the obverse and the imperial chrysanthemum crest on the reverse. Without landscapes or narrative scenes the design reads as especially solemn — the chrysanthemum is the chief symbol of the Japanese throne.

The same jubilee produced a gold 10,000 yen with a phoenix, auspicious clouds and the Nijūbashi bridge of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The 500 yen, by contrast, was struck in nickel-brass like the circulating 500 yen of the time and was meant for everyday use.

Where the 1999 coin for the tenth anniversary showed Mount Fuji, this twentieth-anniversary piece focuses on the emblem of the throne itself. Next in the line came the bimetallic coin of 2019 for the thirtieth anniversary — the last jubilee before Akihito’s abdication.

Uncirculated grade: the coin never circulated, shows no wear and retains its mint lustre.

Collectors who focus on a single country will find its other issues in the VPcoins catalogue as well.