Japan to Issue Coins to Mark 2002 World Cup Soccer Finals
Japan will issue gold, silver and copper coins to mark the 2002 World Cup soccer finals to be held next year, an official said Tuesday.
Next spring, the Japanese Finance Ministry will issue coins in three denominations - a 10,000 yen (83.3 U.S. dollars) gold coin, a 1,000 yen (8.3 dollars) silver coin and a 500 yen (4.2 dollars) copper coin, said Daisuke Yokota, an official of the ministry's mint bureau.
The gold coin will feature images of soccer players, the silver coin will show a championship trophy and a map of the world will adorn the copper coin, said Yokota. The reverse side of all three coins will show the World Cup Emblem.
Japan and South Korea will co-host the World Cup, staging 32 matches each from May 31 through June 30, 2002.