500 yen coin (commemorative)
The 500 yen coin is a denomination of the Japanese yen. In addition to being used as circulating currency, this denomination has also been used to make commemorative coins struck by the Japan Mint. These coins are intended for collectors only and were never issued for circulation.
Composition
Commemorative coins
Throughout the coin's history, the Japan Mint has issued 500 yen coins commemorating the various subjects of Japan's history.1985–1999 (Cupronickel)
| Image | Japanese date | Gregorian date | Mintage | Reason |
| 六十 Shōwa | 1985 | 70,000,000 | Tsukuba Exposition '85 | |
| 六十 Shōwa | 1985 | 70,000,000 | Centennial of the Foundation of the Cabinet System | |
| 六十一 Shōwa | 1986 | 50,000,000 | Hirohito's 60th year of reign | |
| 六十二 Shōwa | 1987 | Unknown | Hirohito's 60th year of reign | |
| 六十三 Shōwa | 1988 | 20,000,000 | Opening of Seto Bridge | |
| 六十三 Shōwa | 1988 | 20,000,000 | Opening of Seikan Tunnel | |
| 二 Heisei | 1990 | 30,000,000 | Enthronement of Emperor Akihito | |
| 四 Heisei | 1992 | 19,950,000 | 20th anniversary of the reversion of Okinawa to Japan | |
| 五 Heisei | 1993 | 29,800,000 | Wedding of Crown Prince Naruhito | |
| 六 Heisei | 1994 | 19,900,000 | Opening of Kansai International Airport | |
| 六 Heisei | 1994 | 9,900,000 | 1994 Asian Games - Running | |
| 六 Heisei | 1994 | 9,900,000 | 1994 Asian Games - Swimming | |
| 六 Heisei | 1994 | 9,900,000 | 1994 Asian Games - Jumping | |
| 九 Heisei | 1997 | 19,867,000 | Nagano Olympics | |
| 九 Heisei | 1997 | 19,867,000 | Nagano Olympics | |
| 十 Heisei | 1998 | 19,867,000 | Nagano Olympics | |
| 十一 | 1999 | 14,900,000 | 10th anniversary of the enthronement of Akihito |
2002–2009 (Nickel-brass)
2008–2016
;60th Anniversary of Enforcement of the Local Autonomy Law| Japanese date | Gregorian date | Prefecture | Mintage | Elements depicted |
| 二十 | 2008 | Hokkaido | 2,100,000 | Lake Toya and the former Hokkaido government office building |
| 二十 | 2008 | Kyoto | 2,050,000 | Scene 2 from Chapter 49 of The Tale of Genji |
| 二十 | 2008 | Shimane | 1,970,000 | Dōtaku discovered from the Kamoiwakura Remains in Unnan City |
| 二十一 | 2009 | Nagano | 1,830,000 | Zenkoji Temple and an Ox |
| 二十一 | 2009 | Niigata | 1,840,000 | Pair of Japanese Crested Ibises and Rice Terrace |
| 二十一 | 2009 | Ibaraki | 1,870,000 | Kairakuen Garden and Japanese Apricot Tree |
| 二十一 | 2009 | Nara | 1,800,000 | Kentoshi-sen |
| 二十二 | 2010 | Kochi | 1,960,000 | Bust of Sakamoto Ryōma |
| 二十二 | 2010 | Gifu | 1,860,000 | Shirakawa-go and Chinese milk vetch |
| 二十二 | 2010 | Fukui | 1,830,000 | Fukuiraptor and Fukuisaurus |
| 二十二 | 2010 | Aichi | 1,950,000 | Aichi Prefectural Government Office and rabbit-ear iris |
| 二十二 | 2010 | Aomori | 1,900,000 | Sannai-Maruyama site and Clay Figurine |
| 二十二 | 2010 | Saga | 1,910,000 | Ōkuma Shigenobu, and his associated craft Saga Nishiki |
| 二十三 | 2011 | Toyama | 1,800,000 | Owara Kaze-no-bon Festival |
| 二十三 | 2011 | Tottori | 1,770,000 | Sanbutsu-ji Temple |
| 二十三 | 2011 | Kumamoto | 1,870,000 | Kumamoto Castle |
| 二十三 | 2011 | Shiga | 1,770,000 | Biwa Catfish and Round Crucian Carp |
| 二十三 | 2011 | Iwate | 1,790,000 | Kyokusui-no-en at Mōtsū-ji temple |
| 二十三 | 2011 | Akita | 1,740,000 | Nobu Shirase and the Akita Kantō festival |
| 二十四 | 2012 | Okinawa | 1,760,000 | Naha Tug-of-war and Eisa Folk dance |
| 二十四 | 2012 | Kanagawa | 1,890,000 | Daibutsu of Kamakura |
| 二十四 | 2012 | Miyazaki | 1,740,000 | Miyazaki Prefectural Government - Main Building |
| 二十四 | 2012 | Tochigi | 1,800,000 | Nemuri-neko and Sparrows |
| 二十四 | 2012 | Oita | 1,790,000 | Usuki Stone Buddha |
| 二十四 | 2012 | Hyōgo | 1,800,000 | Pair of Oriental storks |
| 二十五 | 2013 | Miyagi | 1,700,000 | Sendai Tanabata Festival |
| 二十五 | 2013 | Hiroshima | 1,700,000 | Atomic Bomb Dome and Memorial Park |
| 二十五 | 2013 | Gunma | 1,720,000 | Keystone, and a female worker from the Tomioka Silk Mill |
| 二十五 | 2013 | Okayama | 1,660,000 | Okayama Korakuen Garden |
| 二十五 | 2013 | Shizuoka | 1,700,000 | Mt. Fuji and a tea plantation |
| 二十五 | 2013 | Yamanashi | 1,670,000 | Mt. Fuji and grapes |
| 二十五 | 2013 | Kagoshima | 1,660,000 | Mt. Sakurajima |
| 二十六 | 2014 | Ehime | 1,650,000 | Nishiseto Expressway and the islands of Ehime |
| 二十六 | 2014 | Yamagata | 1,660,000 | Jōmon Dogū |
| 二十六 | 2014 | Mie | 1,670,000 | Kumano Kodō Iseji |
| 二十六 | 2014 | Kagawa | 1,630,000 | Scenery of Sanuki as viewed from Kotohira-gū shrine |
| 二十六 | 2014 | Saitama | 1,780,000 | Saitama Stadium 2002 |
| 二十六 | 2014 | Ishikawa | 1,660,000 | Mt. Haku as seen from Kibagata Park and the Abare Festival |
| 二十七 | 2015 | Yamaguchi | 1,610,000 | Five-story pagoda of Ruriko-ji Temple |
| 二十七 | 2015 | Tokushima | 1,630,000 | Awa Dance Festival |
| 二十七 | 2015 | Fukuoka | 1,680,000 | Kyushu National Museum, Dazaifu Tenmangū Shrine, and Plum Blossoms |
| 二十七 | 2015 | Wakayama | 1,610,000 | Nachi Falls |
| 二十七 | 2015 | Osaka | 1,700,000 | Burial mound of Emperor Nintoku |
| 二十七 | 2015 | Nagasaki | 1,600,000 | Oura Cathedral and a stained glass rose window |
| 二十七 | 2015 | Chiba | 1,680,000 | Kujūkuri Beach |
| 二十八 | 2016 | Fukushima | 1,620,000 | Sōma's Nomaoi Festival |
| 二十八 | 2016 | Tokyo | 1,720,000 | Tokyo Station |
2017–present
| Image | Japanese date | Gregorian date | Mintage | Reason |
| 三十一 | 2019 | 5,000,000 | 30th anniversary of the enthronement of Akihito | |
| 元 | 2019 | 5,000,000 | Enthronement of Emperor Naruhito to the Chrysanthemum Throne | |
| 二 | 2020 | 4,000,000 | 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics: Raijin | |
| 二 | 2020 | 4,000,000 | 2020 Tokyo Summer Paralympics: Fujin |