
The Japanese Mint Set (ミントセット) formally called Standard Coin Set (通常貨幣セット), is a set of uncirculated coins sold by the Japan Mint. These sets were first issued in 1969 (Shōwa 44) as “standard coin sets” consisting of denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100 (166 yen total). Some of these early sets included commemorative 100 yen coins before the 500 yen coin was introduced in 1982 (666 yen total). The original name “standard coin set” gradually transitioned to “mint set”, as by 1990 the latter name was in common use.[1] Starting in 1998, this new name was made official by the Japan Mint.[2] Each mint set[a] comes with a “year plate” which is placed in a plastic case and then placed in an outer paper case alongside the coins.[3] As with other specially made mint sets, these coins are targeted towards collectors rather than for circulation.
Shōwa
| Year of reign | Japanese date | Gregorian date | Year plate[1] | Sets issued[1] | Case color[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
44th
|
四十四
|
1969
|
N/a | 6,162
|
White
|
45th
|
四十五
|
1970
|
N/a | 26,000[b]
| |
46th
|
四十六
|
1971
|
N/a | 14,653
| |
47th
|
四十七
|
1972
|
N/a | 30,000[b]
| |
50th
|
五十
|
1975
|
Year only
|
720,000
| |
51st
|
五十一
|
1976
|
580,000
| ||
52nd
|
五十二
|
1977
|
520,000
|
Orange
| |
53rd
|
五十三
|
1978
|
488,000
|
Navy blue
| |
54th
|
五十四
|
1979
|
400,000
|
Red
| |
55th
|
五十五
|
1980
|
520,000
|
Green
| |
56th
|
五十六
|
1981
|
568,000
|
Brown
| |
57th
|
五十七
|
1982
|
632,000
|
White
| |
58th
|
五十八
|
1983
|
502,000
|
Green
| |
59th
|
五十九
|
1984
|
520,000
|
Red
| |
60th
|
六十
|
1985
|
820,000[c]
|
Blue
| |
746,000[c]
| |||||
61st
|
六十一
|
1986
|
597,000
|
Red
| |
Paulownia
|
642,000[c]
|
Purple
| |||
62nd
|
六十二
|
1987
|
545,000
|
Red
| |
63rd
|
六十三
|
1988
|
Dragon
|
647,000
|
Red
|
Heisei

| Year of reign | Japanese date | Gregorian date | Year plate[1] | Sets issued[1] | Case color[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st
|
元
|
1989
|
647,000
|
Red
| |
| 2nd
|
二
|
1990
|
600,000
| ||
| 3rd
|
三
|
1991
|
600,000
| ||
| 4th
|
四
|
1992
|
Paulownia[d]
|
700,000[c]
|
Blue
|
| 5th
|
五
|
1993
|
Paulownia[e]
|
800,000[c]
|
Purple
|
| 6th
|
六
|
1994
|
570,000
|
Red
| |
| 7th
|
七
|
1995
|
355,000
| ||
| 8th
|
八
|
1996
|
321,000
| ||
| 9th
|
九
|
1997
|
331,000
| ||
10th
|
十
|
1998
|
336,000
| ||
11th
|
十一
|
1999
|
290,000
| ||
12th
|
十二
|
2000
|
340,200
| ||
13th
|
十三
|
2001
|
Snake
|
224,000
| |
14th
|
十四
|
2002
|
Horse
|
214,800
| |
15th
|
十五
|
2003
|
Goat
|
200,500
| |
16th
|
十六
|
2004
|
Monkey
|
189,000
| |
17th
|
十七
|
2005
|
Paulownia
|
200,000[c]
|
Dark blue
|
141,000
|
Red
| ||||
18th
|
十八
|
2006
|
Dog
|
189,400
|
Red
|
19th
|
十九
|
2007
|
N/a | 180,000[c]
|
Photograph
|
Pig
|
142,680
|
Red
| |||
20th
|
二十
|
2008
|
Rat
|
154,022
|
Illustration
|
| N/a | 142,000
|
Illustration
| |||
21st
|
二十一
|
2009
|
Ox
|
152,637
|
Illustration
|
22nd
|
二十二
|
2010
|
Tiger
|
152,500
|
Illustration
|
23rd
|
二十三
|
2011
|
Rabbit
|
168,291
|
Dark blue
|
24th
|
二十四
|
2012
|
Dragon
|
158,500
|
Tan
|
25th
|
二十五
|
2013
|
Snake
|
150,000
|
Lime
|
26th
|
二十六
|
2014
|
Horse
|
141,191
|
Orange
|
27th
|
二十七
|
2015
|
Goat
|
131,980
|
Light blue
|
28th
|
二十八
|
2016
|
Monkey
|
126,109
|
Pink
|
29th
|
二十九
|
2017
|
Rooster
|
123,324
|
Red
|
30th
|
三十
|
2018
|
Dog
|
132,108
|
Light purple
|
31st
|
三十一
|
2019
|
Pig
|
360,027
|
Green
|
Reiwa
| Year of reign | Japanese date | Gregorian date | Year plate[1] | Sets issued[1] | Case color[1] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st
|
元
|
2019
|
350,013
|
Pink
| |
2nd
|
二
|
2020
|
166,760
|
White
| |
3rd
|
三
|
2021
|
170,400[f]
| ||
128,000[g]
| |||||
4th
|
四
|
2022
|
148,564
| ||
5th
|
五
|
2023
|
137,330
| ||
6th
|
六
|
2024
|
130,700
| ||
7th
|
七
|
2025
|
TBA | TBA | |
8th
|
八
|
2026
|
TBA | TBA |
Notes
- ^ Since 1975
- ^ a b This set includes a commemorative 100 yen coin
- ^ a b c d e f g This set includes a commemorative 500 yen coin
- ^ The year plate also includes a Monkey
- ^ The year plate also includes a Rooster
- ^ Old 500 yen coin
- ^ New 500 yen coin
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j “Standard Coin Set & Mint Set”. Japan Mint (in Japanese). Retrieved April 5, 2026.
- ^ Official Gazette (Kanpō). Taijōkan Document Bureau. 1998. p. 15.
- ^ “Mainichi Shimbun”. Vol. 47, no. 559. Mainichi Shimbun Publishing Bureau. 1996.
- ^ “【画像】最も長い歴史を有する貨幣セット「令和8年銘ミントセット」がこれだ”. HuffPost (in Japanese). January 21, 2026. Archived from the original on April 14, 2026.