Official Dragon Reproductions
Dragon Reproductions
The 1896 Official Reproduction of the 1872 1 sen & 2 sen Dragon Stamps
Five hundred copies were produced for mounting in the book, Dai Nippon Teikoku Yubin Kitte Enkakushi.
Subtitled in English “A short History of Japanese Postage Stamps”, the Enkakushi was published on 6 March 1896 by the Communications Ministry of the Japanese Government. It contains an account in Japanese and English of the Japanese stamps and postal stationery issued from 1871 to 1894. It ended with but did not include the first commemorative stamps. The book is illustrated with actual copies of the stamps, post cards, stamped envelopes, newspaper wrappers, telegraph stamps, and “urgent message” labels. There were no remainders of eight of the issues, so “official reproductions” of these eight issues were specially made for the Enkakushi. All of the reproductions are of better quality than the originals.
Reproduced:
- 1 and 2 sen Dragon stamps of February 1872
- The newspaper wrapper of Aptil 1872
- The first-issue 1/2 sen and 1 sen postal cards of 1 December 1872
- The second-issue 1/2 sen and 1 sen postal cards of December 1873
- The 3 sen Japaneses-style envelope of 1 December 1873
500 (some say 300) books were prepared for presentation to Japanese and foreign government officials and other prominent persons. No copies where sold or made available to the general public. It is estimated that as many as half were not distributed at the time. All the copies left in the Ministry’s possession are said to have been destroyed in the earthquake and fire of 1923.
Notice that many of the fine lines of the design are much clearer in the reproduction than in the original genuine stamp.
If you find you have this reproduction, don’t despair, it’s rarer and much more valuable than the genuine stamp.
1906 – Tayama Mon Dragon Reproductions
For more information about the Tayama reproductions click here
Tayama: 1906
This 48 mon brown stamp is found in the only sheet produced in 1906.
Inscriptions translate:
48 mon with the stamp color.
Issued: Meiji 4.3 April 1871);
Off Sale: Meiji 5.2 (February 1872);
Invalidated: Meiji 22.11 (November 1889)
Cancel Type 1
Tayama: 1906
This 100 mon blue stamp is found in the only sheet produced in 1906.
Inscriptions translate:
100 mon with the stamp color.
Issued: Meiji 4.3 April 1871);
Off Sale: Meiji 5.2 (February 1872);
Invalidated: Meiji 22.11 (November 1889)
Cancel Type 2
Tayama: 1906
This 200 mon orange stamp is found in the only sheet produced in 1906.
Inscriptions translate:
200 mon with the stamp color.
Issued: Meiji 4.3 April 1871);
Off Sale: Meiji 5.2 (February 1872);
Invalidated: Meiji 22.11 (November 1889)
Cancel Type 1
Same vignette as 48 mon with 200 mon color and value indicia.
Tayama: 1906
This 500 mon green stamp is found in the only sheet produced in 1906.
Inscriptions translate:
500 mon with the stamp color.
Issued: Meiji 4.3 April 1871);
Off Sale: Meiji 5.2 (February 1872);
Invalidated: Meiji 22.11 (November 1889)
Cancel Type 2
Same vignette as 48 mon with 500 mon color and value indicia
1907 Sheet 1 – Tayama Sen Dragon Reproductions
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Tayama: 1907 Sheet 1
This 1 sen blue stamp is found in sheet 1 produced in 1907.
Inscriptions translate:
1 sen with the stamp color.
Issued: Meiji 5.2 (February 1872);
Off Sale: Meiji 5.7 (July 1872);
Invalidated: Meiji 22.11 (November 1889)
Cancel Type 1
Same vignette as 100 mon with 1 sen indicia
Tayama: 1907 Sheet 1
This 1/2 sen brown stamp is found in sheet 1 produced in 1907.
Inscriptions translate:
1/2 sen with the stamp color.
Issued: Meiji 5.2 (February 1872);
Off Sale: Meiji 5.9 (September 1872);
Invalidated: Meiji 22.11 (November 1889)
Cancel Type 1
Same vignette as 48 mon with 1/2 sen indicia
Tayama: 1907 Sheet 1
This 2 sen orange stamp is found in sheet 1 produced in 1907.
Inscriptions translate:
2 sen with the stamp color.
Issued: Meiji 5.2 (February 1872);
Off Sale: Meiji 5.7 (July 1872);
Invalidated: Meiji 22.11 (November 1889)
Cancel Type 2
Same vignette as 48 mon with 2 sen color and value indicia.
Tayama: 1907 Sheet 1
This 5 sen green stamp is found in sheet 1 produced in 1907.
Inscriptions translate:
5 sen with the stamp color.
Issued: Meiji 5.2 (February 1872);
Off Sale: Meiji 6.5 (May 1873);
Invalidated: Meiji 22.11 (November 1889)
Cancel Type 2
Same vignette as 48 mon with 5 sen color and value indicia
Postal Ministry Reproduction – 1951
In 1951, for the 80th anniversary of postal service inauguration, the ministry made an imperforate souvenir sheet reproducing Japan’s first stamps. This sheet was engraved by Kato Kurakichi, a Printing Bureau engraver of many Japanese stamps from 1925 to 1949. The sheet was not sold to the public and only 1,000 copies were made. It was used only for presentation purposes.
Sheet measures 91 x 128 mm, is cream colored and does not have an outside folder. The yellowish thick paper is not like the white native paper of genuine 20 April 1871 stamps. Translations of the inscriptions at top – Line 1: “Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the establishment of posts”; Line 2: “(Reproductions of the postage stamps issued in 1871)”. Translation of the inscriptions below stamps – Line 1: “20 April 1951” ; Line 2: “Ministry of Postal Services”
Postal Service Ministry:
20 April 1951
Ministry: 500 mon green dragon, cream colored paper. Original issue 20 April 1871.
Postal Service Ministry:
20 April 1951
Ministry: 100 mon blue dragon, cream colored paper. Original issue 20 April 1871.
Postal Service Ministry:
20 April 1951
Ministry: 200 mon orange dragon, cream colored paper. Original issue 20 April 1871. Note: genuine stamp is a specimen with mihon overprint.
Postal Service Ministry:
20 April 1951
Ministry: 48 mon brown dragon, cream colored paper. Original issue 20 April 1871.
1963 Sheet 10 – Japan Stamp Publicity Association Mon Dragon Reproductions
For more information about the JSPA mon dragon reproductions click here
The mon dragons were originally issued 20 April 1871 on thin wove and laid papers. These reproductions were issued on 2 February 1963 in sheet No. 10 on vertical laid paper.
JSPA:
2 February 1963, Sheet 10
JSPA: 48 mon brown dragon, cream colored vertical laid paper. Original issue 20 April 1871.
JSPA:
2 February 1963, Sheet 10
JSPA: 100 mon blue dragon, cream colored vertical laid paper. Original issue 20 April 1871.
JSPA:
2 February 1963, Sheet 10
JSPA: 200 mon orange dragon, cream colored vertical laid paper. Original issue 20 April 1871. Note: genuine stamp is a specimen with mihon overprint.
JSPA:
2 February 1963, Sheet 10
JSPA: 500 mon green dragon, vertical laid cream colored paper. Original issue 20 April 1871.
1962 Sheet 4 – Japan Stamp Publicity Association Sen Dragon Reproductions
For more information about the JSPA sen dragon reproductions click here
The sen dragons were originally issued February 1872 on thin wove and laid papers. These reproductions were issued on 25 January 1962 in sheet No. 4 on horizontal laid paper.
JSPA:
25 January 1962, Sheet 4
JSPA: 1/2 sen brown dragon, cream colored horizontal laid paper. Original issue February 1872.
JSPA:
25 January 1962, Sheet 4
JSPA:1 sen blue dragon, cream colored horizontal laid paper. Original issue February 1872.
JSPA:
25 January 1962, Sheet 4
JSPA: 2 sen orange dragon, cream colored horizontal laid paper. Original issue February 1872.
JSPA:
25 January 1962, Sheet 4
JSPA: 5 sen green dragon, cream colored horizontal laid paper. Original issue February 1872.