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.

1896 - 1 sen Enkakushi reproduction
1896 - 2 sen Enkakushi reproduction
Tayama: 1906 sheet: 48 mon dragon
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 sheet: 100 mon dragon
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 sheet: 200 mon dragon
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

Tayama: 1906 sheet: 500 mon dragon

1907 Sheet 1 – Tayama Sen Dragon Reproductions

For more information about the Tayama  reproductions  click here

Tayama: 1907 sheet 1: 1 sen dragon
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: 1/2 sen dragon
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: 2 sen dragon
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

Tayama: 1907 sheet 1: 5 sen dragon

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.

Ministry: sheet of dragon reporduction, 20 April 1951

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”

Ministry: 500 mon dragon reporduction, 20 April 1951
Postal Service Ministry:
20 April 1951

Ministry: 500 mon green dragon, cream colored  paper.  Original issue 20 April 1871.

Ministry: 100 mon dragon reporduction, 20 April 1951
Postal Service Ministry:
20 April 1951

Ministry: 100 mon blue dragon, cream colored  paper.  Original issue 20 April 1871.

Ministry: 200 mon dragon reporduction, 20 April 1951
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.

Ministry: 48 mon dragon reporduction, 20 April 1951
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: 48 mon dragon reporduction, 2 February 1963
JSPA:
2 February 1963, Sheet 10

JSPA: 48 mon brown dragon,  cream colored vertical laid paper.  Original issue 20 April 1871.

JSPA: 100 mon dragon reporduction, 2 February 1963
JSPA:
2 February 1963, Sheet 10

JSPA: 100 mon blue dragon, cream colored vertical laid paper.  Original issue 20 April 1871.

JSPA: 200 mon dragon reporduction, 2 February 1963
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: 500 mon dragon reporduction, 2 February 1963
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: 1/2 sen dragon reporduction, 25 January 1962
JSPA:
25 January 1962, Sheet 4

JSPA: 1/2 sen  brown dragon, cream colored horizontal laid paper.  Original issue February 1872.

JSPA: 1 sen dragon reporduction, 25 January 1962
JSPA:
25 January 1962, Sheet 4

JSPA:1 sen blue dragon,  cream colored horizontal laid paper.  Original issue February 1872.

JSPA: 2 sen dragon reporduction, 25 January 1962
JSPA:
25 January 1962, Sheet 4

JSPA: 2 sen orange dragon,  cream colored horizontal laid paper.  Original issue February 1872.

JSPA: 5 sen dragon reporduction, 25 January 1962
JSPA:
25 January 1962, Sheet 4

JSPA: 5 sen green dragon,  cream colored horizontal laid paper.  Original issue February 1872.

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