500 Yen JPN Banknote (1950s–1980s Issue) 1951

500 Yen (Issued 1951)

Surviving examples of the 1951 Japanese 500 Yen note are considerably fewer than original print runs might suggest, as decades of active circulation, subsequent withdrawal from legal tender status, and the natural attrition of paper currency have reduced the number of well-preserved specimens considerably. Japan’s post-war monetary history makes this particular issue especially significant, as it was produced during a period of national reconstruction and economic stabilisation that fundamentally reshaped the country’s financial identity. Notes from this era were heavily used in everyday commerce before being replaced by later series, meaning that crisp, undamaged examples are genuinely uncommon. Both historians of the Pacific economic recovery and those with a general interest in mid-twentieth-century Japanese material culture find this note to be a compelling physical record of the period.

On the front, the dominant feature is a finely engraved portrait positioned to the right of centre, depicting Iwasaki Yataro, the founder of the Mitsubishi business conglomerate, rendered in a detailed intaglio style that captures the texture of his dark formal jacket, white shirt, and bow tie with considerable precision. The portrait is set within a lightly shaded oval surround and faces slightly to the left, conveying a composed and authoritative demeanour characteristic of Meiji-era portraiture. The overall colour palette of the front is a muted combination of blue-grey and soft golden-brown tones, with intricate guilloché rosette patterns filling much of the central field, providing both decorative complexity and a degree of counterfeit resistance. Japanese script text appears prominently in the upper right area, identifying the issuing institution, and further Japanese characters in a larger, bold denomination typeface occupy the central portion of the note, denoting the five-hundred yen value. The numeral “500” appears in the upper left and lower right corners in a contrasting darker ink. A red circular seal bearing Japanese script characters is printed to the left of centre, representing the official Bank of Japan stamp. The serial number KE 275168C is printed twice, once in the upper left field and again towards the lower right, both in dark ink against the lighter background. A further line of fine Japanese text runs along the lower edge, denoting printing authority details. The border of the note features an ornate decorative frame incorporating repeating floral and geometric motifs, and small stylised rosette devices appear in each corner.

The reverse is printed predominantly in olive-green and grey-green tones and is dominated by a large, highly detailed engraved landscape view of Mount Fuji, Japan’s most iconic natural landmark, depicted rising above a foreground of dark foothills and sparse vegetation, with its snow-capped conical summit rendered in crisp intaglio line work against a lightly shaded sky. The mountain scene occupies the right-hand two-thirds of the reverse, conveying depth and grandeur through carefully graduated tonal engraving. To the left of the central image sits a large circular guilloché medallion incorporating the numeral “500” at its centre, surrounded by concentric rings of fine lathe-work patterning that creates an elaborate rosette effect. A red circular official seal bearing Japanese script characters is printed over the lower portion of the mountain scene, mirroring the seal placement seen on the front. The words “NIPPON GINKO” are printed in Latin script along the upper border of the note, clearly identifying the Bank of Japan as the issuing authority, while the denomination text “500 YEN” is printed in Roman characters along the lower border. The entire reverse is framed by an ornate decorative border featuring repeating scroll and floral motifs, consistent in style with the front design, giving the note a unified and formally structured appearance.

Got a 500 Yen banknote sitting unused? Webuyallcurrency.com will exchange it for cash alongside your other Japanese Yen banknotes and any leftover foreign currency, in one convenient online step.

• Indicate the quantity of 500 Yen Yen banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

Webuyallcurrency.com brings all your foreign currency together: exchange or sell Japanese Yen banknotes and other old, withdrawn or modern coins and notes for cash, with no specialist knowledge needed.