| Material | Nickel-brass, Cupronickel and Copper |
| Composition | Copper 750 Zinc 125 Nickel 125 |
| Weight | 7.1g |
| Diameter | 26.5mm |
| Year of Production | 2009 |
A 500 yen coin made to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the enforcement of the Local Autonomy Law.
There are 47 types, the same as the number of prefectures in Japan.
It is made by combining two technologies: “Cladd,” in which another type of metal plate is inserted between two metal plates, and “Bicolor,” in which another metal is placed in a disk. “Baikara Clad
There are jagged edges on the sides, and only four places are shaped differently from the rest.
The reverse side is the same.
The design imitates the coins of the Edo period.
It is written in kanji as “local Autonomy” in four characters.The year and “JAPAN 47PREFECTURES COIN PROGRAM” are engraved.
The obverse has a different design for each prefecture.
The photo shows a coin from Niigata Prefecture.
It depicts ibis (Toki=Nipponia nippon) and rice terraces.
The Toki(ibis) is a bird that has lived in Japan for a long time. It is described in various literature as a bird that symbolizes Japan.
The Toki has been designated as an endangered species, and efforts are currently underway to reinstate it in Niigata.
Therefore, it is also a bird that symbolizes Niigata.
Terraced rice fields are rice paddies that are built continuously on slopes.
Niigata is famous for producing rice, and the rice terraces are also famous.
