Pearl Harbor: Three Coins of World War II (letterbox folder)

On December 7, 1941, ”a date that will live in infamy,“ the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, compelling the U.S. to enter the war on the side of the Allies. Declaring war on the United States and the United Kingdom, Japan also invaded Thailand and British Malaya and launched aerial attacks on Guam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Shanghai, Singapore and Wake Island. General Hideki Tojo, Minister of War and then Prime Minister of Japan, initiated the Pearl Harbor attack, and presided over the conquest of the Philippines, Singapore, British Malaya, and the Dutch East Indies—as well as the subsequent losses at Midway and Guadalcanal. As the tides of war turned against Imperial Japan, Tojo resigned his post in 1944. After Japan’s surrender, he was arrested and sentenced to death for his numerous war crimes, including the systemic starvation and massacre of civilians and prisoners of war. He was hanged on December 23, 1948. This set contains three coins of the Second World War: a U.S. one cent, dated 1941; an aluminum Japanese 5 sen, struck in Year 15 and 16 (1940-1941) of the reign of Emperor Hirohito; and a rounded square-shaped 1 cent of British Malaya, dated 1939-41.

Packaging: midsized album.

Images are representative of the type and general grade. The date, mint, color, toning, and exact coins received may vary unless the listing explicitly says the actual lot is shown.