Illustration of a historical stamp for learning, shown at screen size. Not valid for postage.
How to read it
TEN SEN, JAPANESE EMPIRE and the chrysanthemum crest.
- 1JAPANESE EMPIRE
- 2TEN SEN
- Inscription
- JAPANESE EMPIRE · POST · TEN SEN · 大日本帝國郵便
- Meaning
- Sen are hundredths of a yen. The kanji say “Great Japan Imperial Post”.
- Issued by
- Empire of Japan
- Today
- Japan Flag of Japan
- Year
- 1888. New Koban series, this value 1888.
- Made by
- Edoardo Chiossone (design, died 1898)
One fact
The Koban stamps were designed by the Italian engraver Edoardo Chiossone, who worked for Japan’s printing bureau; no emperor’s portrait was used.
Source and public-domain rule
Creators died more than 70 years ago. Chiossone died 1898; also published under the ministry’s name more than 70 years ago (Japan Art. 53). Copyright lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years, counted from 1 January of the year after death. Every named designer and engraver of the stamp died before 1 January 1956; any contributor who was never named counts as anonymous, whose term is 70 years from publication, and the stamp was published before 1956. Legal sources: Directive 2006/116/EC, Art. 1(1) life + 70 years; Art. 1(3) anonymous works 70 years from publication; Art. 7(1) comparison of terms for works from outside the EU; Art. 8 terms run from 1 January, Switzerland, Norway.
Scan: Koban stamp.JPG on Wikimedia Commons (revision 1194167190), licence templates {{PD-1923}}, {{PD-Japan-organization}} (a public-domain reason different from ours; both are recorded). Downloaded 2026-10-19, sha256 b8ea75d88388…; cropped and cleaned for this site. Facts checked 2026-10-19 against source 1 and source 2. Research record, not legal advice; a human rights review is pending. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
