MANCHUKUO

UNUSUAL FIBER COIN FROM WWII

Manchukuo was a Japanese puppet state carved out of Northeastern China prior to World War II.  Due to a severe metal shortage towards the end of the war, it issued these unusual 1 Fen and 5 Fen coins struck in a red cardboard-like material rather than metal. The coins are dated in the twelfth year of the reign of Emperor Kang Te of Manchukuo.   Kang Te was formerly known as Pu Yi, who was the last Emperor of China until he was deposed in 1911. The Japanese used him as the figurehead leader for Manchukuo. The coin was struck only a single year; 1945.  This historic World War II coin is one of the few circulating non-metallic coins of the century.






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