The country’s largest coin has something to say to you.
The 500-yen coin just feels special. Large and weighty, it’s also one of the highest-value coins in the world (its current value is about US$4.42, but in times of more stable exchange rates it hovers closer to five bucks). Even cooler, it’s got a pair of hidden messages, one on each side.
We’ve touched on this before, and thanks to enterprising Imgur user m4n031, there’s a handy guide to spot the tiny, tiny lettering. As shown above, one face of the coin proudly displays its value in numerals…
…but if you look closely…
…each digit also contains two letters. The 5 has an N and an I…
…the first zero two Ps…
…and the final zero an O and an N…
…spelling out “Nippon,” one of the names for Japan in the Japanese language, and specifically the one used by Nippon Ginko (the Bank of Japan), the branch of the government that issues legal tender.
But the 500-yen coin still has more to say. Flip it over to the other side…
…and hidden among the blossoms and vines of the metallic flora are once again letters spelling out Nippon.
▼ The letters are clustered around the center of the design.
The pair of messages is another sign that Japan loves to put thought into little details, and also shows that while you can have fun with a massive stack of yen, you can find some amusement in just a single coin too.
Sources: Imgur/m4n031 (1, 2), Reddit
Top image ©RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]
Follow Casey on Twitter, before it’s only a matter of time until he parts ways with the 500-yen coin at the top of this article in order to obtain taiyaki or manga.
[ Read in Japanese ]
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