JNDA# 07-5
| Material | Silver |
| Composition | Pure Silver |
| Weight | 31.1grams=1.09oz |
| Diameter | 40mm=1.57in |
| Year of Production | 2009(Heisei 21 year) |
These silver coins were issued to commemorate the enforcement of Japan’s Local Autonomy Law.
Each of the 47 prefectures has its own unique design.
The coins of Niigata Prefecture feature images of the Japanese crested ibis and Sado Island.
Sado Island is an offshore island in the Sea of Japan. It belongs to Niigata Prefecture and can be reached by boat from Niigata City.
Sado Island is famous for its Japanese crested ibises.
The Japanese crested ibis is also designated as the prefectural bird of Niigata Prefecture.
The Japanese crested ibis is a bird of the Pelecaniformes order and Ibis family, and its scientific name is Nipponia nippon.
It is a beautiful bird characterized by its pale pink feathers, which have given rise to the name “crane color.”
In 2003, the last wild crane in Japan, named “Kin,” died. Although the crane is extinct in the wild in Japan, it survives in China, and in 1999, two cranes were presented to Japan as a symbol of friendship between the two countries.
Following the birth of chicks, the crane population has gradually increased through artificial breeding.
