How much are banknotes from Japan worth?
Japan Banknote Values

ND (1873) Japan 2 Yen Banknote, 2 Warriors on front, Green Building Back
Years: 1940 to 1945 |
Country: Japan |
Type: Japan Banknote |
Denominations: Sen, Yen |
This guide on paper money from Japan covers all valuable banknotes printed in Japan. If you don’t see your banknote pictured here, it is likely common, modern, or not valuable. Many banknotes from Japan are valuable, we’ve paid anywhere from $20 to $4,500 for a single Japanese banknote.
Remember, many local coin and pawn shops either have no idea what your paper money is worth, or they’re trying to rip you off. Contact a reputable paper money expert if you want the most money for your rare bill.
How much is my banknote from Japan worth?
The short answer is: it depends. Most banknotes from Japan will be worth at least $50. We’ve paid over $5,000 for a single Japan banknote in the past, so it is possible to find something very rare.
Value depends on a few factors:
- Condition
- Supply/Demand
- Rarity/Scarcity
- Serial numbers
Condition
This is an area most can understand quickly. Many times, paper money we buy is in poor condition due to how it was stored. Environmental damage is a very real thing, especially in warmer, more damp, climates. Condition is arguably one of the most important factors when determining condition. However, if there were too many of a particular banknote printed, it doesn’t matter if the banknote is litearlly in perfect condition.
Supply/Demand
Simple economics will teach you about Supply and Demand, and how important it is to determining the value of something in a given marketplace. Banknotes from Japan were printed in very small runs, making them incredibly challenging to come by. This in combination with a strong collector base equates to higher prices.
Japan has some of the fewest printed banknotes, and some of the highest demand when it comes to rare paper money bills. If you’re looking to sell your paper money, you’ve come to the right place.
Rarity/Scarcity
It doesn’t matter how rare or scarce something is: if you don’t have demand for the item, nobody will buy it. I’ve owned some of the scracist banknotes in existance, however, because not many people know or care of their existance, they’re relatively worthless.
For banknotes from Japan, however, that is not the case. These bills are oftentimes quickly consumed by the marketplace whenever one hits the market. We personally love collecting this type of banknote because of how rare they are and honestly we never really see them now days.
Serial Numbers
Serial Numbers is one of those interesting things that many people overlook. Depending on which serial number was printed on the bill can help determine the value of the bill. The “cooler” the serial number is, the higher liklihood you have of scoring something really worth yor time. For example, if you have a Serial Number 681356 vs. a Serial Number 1 note, the latter will always be more valuable, regardless of condition. If you’re unsure about the scarcity of your serial number, we wrote a whole in-depth guide here.
Great Japanese Government – Ministry of Finance
1872

No Date (1872) Japan 10 Sen Banknote

No Date (1872) Japan 20 Sen Banknote

No Date (1872) Japan 1/2 Yen Banknote

No Date (1872) Japan 1 Yen Banknote

No Date (1872) Japan 2 Yen Banknote

No Date (1872) Japan 5 Yen Banknote

No Date (1872) Japan 10 Yen Banknote

No Date (1872) Japan 50 Yen Banknote

No Date (1872) Japan 100 Yen Banknote
Great Imperial Japanese Circulating Note
1873

No Date (1873) Japan 1 Yen Banknote

No Date (1873) Japan 2 Yen Banknote

No Date (1873) Japan 5 Yen Banknote

No Date (1873) Japan 10 Yen Banknote

No Date (1873) Japan 20 Yen Banknote
Great Imperial Japanese Government
1878

1882 Japan 20 Sen Banknote

1882 Japan 50 Sen Banknote

1878 Japan 1 Yen Banknote

1878 Japan 5 Yen Banknote

1878 Japan 10 Yen Banknote

1917-1921 Japan 10 Sen Banknote

1917-1919 Japan 20 Sen Banknote

1917-1921 Japan 50 Sen Banknote

1938 Japan 50 Sen Banknote

1942-1944 Japan 50 Sen Banknote
Imperial Japanese Government
1945

1945 Japan 50 Sen Banknote
Japanese Government
1948
