JAPANESE COINS & CURRENCY
COPPER 1 MON COINS OF
THE
SHOGUNS OF JAPAN
In 1626 the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan introduced a new cast copper
coin known as the Kanei Tsuho. It replaced a mixture of
Chinese coins and privately minted coins that were in circulation. The
1 Mon Kanei Tsuho coin was the lowest denomination issued, and served
as the mainstay of the Japanese economy for over 200 years, until the
Shoguns were replaced in the Meiji Restoration in 1867. We are pleased
to offer three major varieties of this important coin of the Shoguns of
Japan. All three have a similar obverse bearing the characters Kan Ei
Tsu Ho, which translates as "Current Treasure of Kan-ei". Kan-ei refers
to the era of the Shogunate that lasted from 1603 to 1644, however the
inscription continued long after that era. One variety, issued from
1636 to 1769 has no mintmark on the reverse. In 1668 a new type was
introduced, with the Japanese character "bun" on the reverse,
representing the
Edo (now Tokyo) mintmark. The coins are of good quality and are well
made. They continued to be issued until about 1700. Those with the
Osaka mint mark on the reverse were issued in 1741. These are smaller
and less well made than the Edo issues. They are notable and
inexpensive coins from an important period of Japanese history.
Item
JP-MON JAPAN 1 MON NO
MINTMARK (1636-1769) C1.1
F-VF $3.00
Item
JP-MONx5 5 of the above JAPAN 1 MON NO
MINTMARK C1.1
F-VF $10.00
Item
JP-EDO JAPAN 1 MON EDO (TOKYO)
MINTMARK (1668-1700) C1.2
VF $4.00
Item
JP-OSAKA JAPAN 1 MON OSAKA
MINTMARK (1741) C1.8
VG-F $5.00
WAVE CASH OF THE SHOGUNS
Due to continued inflation and a shortage of copper, the Shogunate
introduced a new cast copper or brass 4 Mon coin in 1768. It
had the same Kanei Tsuho ("Current Treasure of Kan-ei")
legend on the obverse as the 1 Mon coin even though the Kan-ei era had
ended over a hundred years earlier. The coin was only
slightly larger than the 1 Mon and in order to make it easily
distinguishable, a design featuring 21 "waves" was put on the reverse.
The following year the reverse design was changed to a
pattern of 11 waves. The Kanei Tsuho 11 wave 4 Mon continued to be made
until 1860. By 1863 the Tokugawa Shoguns were having serious
political and financial difficulties, due in part to the huge number of
samurai and retainers that were being paid by the government.
Rather than dealing with the problems, they put a new legend on the 4
Mon coin which had been in circulation for almost 100 years. The new 4
Mon coins were called Bunkyuu Eihou or "Enternal Cash of the Bunkyuu
Era", Like the previous 4 Mon, eleven “waves” were featured
on the reverse. Alas the coins were far from
eternal, the Tokugawa Shogunate collapsed within five years and the
coins were soon replaced with modern struck coins.
Item
JP-C4.1 JAPAN 4 MON 21 WAVES KANEI TSUHO
(1768) C4.1
F-VF out
Item
JP-C4.2 JAPAN 4 MON 11 WAVES KANEI TSUHO
(1769-1860) C4.2
VF out
Item
JP-C6 JAPAN 4 MON BUNKYUU EIHOU 11 WAVES
(1863-67)
C6varieties
VF $4.50
AN
UNUSUAL OLD OVAL JAPANESE COIN
This large oblong bronze 100 Mon coin of Japan, known as the Tempo
Tsuho, was struck from 1835 to 1870, a period of transition in Japan
from the long ruling Shoguns to the modernization of the Meiji
Restoration. The coin is approximately 49mm x 32.5mm and is issued with
a square center hole. Its unusual shape and large size has
made
it a perennial
favorite with collectors.
Item
JP-100M JAPAN 100 MON OVAL COIN
(1835-70) C7 VF
$17.50
UNUSUAL
OLD HANSATSU
NOTE OF JAPAN
The Shoguns of Japan were military leaders. From the 16th century until
the Meiji Restoration in 1868 they dominated Japanese society. The
Emperor
was little more than a religious figurehead. Emphasis was placed on
military
achievement and contact with foreign influences was shunned. During
this
period many local clans, merchants, communities and banks issued their
own currency. These tall, thin notes (approximately 6" x 1.5", 160mm x
40mm) printed on heavy paper were known as Hansatsu. They
come in
a variety of designs, ranging from simple to intricate. Because of the
lack of English language references of this very extensive series, the
notes are usually not identified by issuer.
We have an unusual blue hansatsu note valued at 1 Momme in Rice dated
1863 from Kaisai in the Hyogo Prefecture.
We also have a number of unidentified hansatsu notes which we are offer
in lots of all different. Notes will grade Very Good to Very
Fine. Notes will probably be different than what is pictured
on this page.
Item
PM-JP-HAN-BLUE JAPAN BLUE HANSATSU
NOTE, Kasai
(Hyogo Prefecture), 1 Momme Rice Note, 1863, Fine-Very Fine $13.00
Item
PM-JP-HANST1 1 JAPANESE HANSATSU NOTE,
UNIDENTIFIED VG-F $12.00
Item
PM-JP-HANSTx3 3 DIFFERENT JAPANESE
HANSATSU NOTES, UNIDENTIFIED VG-F
$35.00
Item
PM-JP-HANSTx6 6 DIFFERENT JAPANESE HANSATSU
NOTES,
UNIDENTIFIED VG-F $69.50
Item
PM-JP-HANSTx9 9 DIFFERENT JAPANESE HANSATSU
NOTES,
UNIDENTIFIED VG-F $99.50
SCARCE MEIJI ERA
HANSATSU NOTES FROM
JAPAN
The Meiji restoration in Japan in 1868 was a major transformation in
Japanese society, changing it from a closed feudal regime under the
Shoguns to a modern, industrial society. Among the changes
was abolishing the locally issued, long, thin Hansatsu notes. This set
of three Japanese Hansatsu notes were issued during the early
years of the Meiji restoration, before the introduction of modern Yen
denominated banknotes in 1873. Included are the 5 Bu, 1 Momme
and 3 Momme. The notes all have a similar design featuring a
fisherman on one side. The reverse has a large Japanese
character written in black ink over the printed design. The
notes range in length from about 4 1/2 inches (134mm) for the 5
Bu to 6 1/4 inches (137mm) for the 3 Momme.
Item
PM-JP-MEIJI-HAN JAPAN SET OF 3 MEIJI
HANSATSU
NOTES, 1868-1873 Fine
$24.50
POST-WAR CURRENCY
OF JAPAN
These two undated notes were issued by the Bank of Japan in 1946,
shortly after Japan's defeat in World War II. The 1
Yen note features the portrait of Ninomiya Sontoku and a rooster on the
front. The denomination is on the back, in both Japanese and
English. Sontoku was born in 1787 to a poor peasant
family. He was diligent, intelligent, hard working and
studious. It was said that he would be up early in the
mountains gathering wood and studying even before the cock crowed,
hence the rooster on the note. He became a wealthy
farmer and was eventually entrusted with important positions by the
Shogun. He reformed agricultural practices, increasing yields, set up
village credit unions, and developed a philosophical approach which
emphasized practical ethical principles. Schools in Japan
often have statues of him reading a book while gathering wood, showing
how he would study every moment he could. The 10 Yen note
features the Diet (parliament) building. Both notes were
replaced with coins a few years later.
Item
PM-JP-1Y-46 JAPAN 1 YEN BANKNOTE 1946 P85
F-VF out
Item
PM-JP-10Y-46 JAPAN 10 YEN BANKNOTE 1946 P87
F-VF $3.50
OFFICIAL
JAPANESE MINT SETS
Every time we have offered these attractive Japanese mint sets, they
have been a complete sell-out! This time we managed to a few of the
sets from the 1980's. The 6 coin sets contains the
1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 Yen coins plus an official mint
medal. The 500 Yen pictures a Pawlownia flower. Cherry blossoms are on
the 100 Yen. The 50 Yen portrays
Chrysanthemum blossoms and has a center hole. The 10 Yen
portrays the Phoenix Hall of the Byōdō-in temple which was built in
1053AD. The 5 Yen pictures a gear and an
ear of rice around its center hole. A young,
sprouting tree is on the 1 Yen. The 1982 and 1983 sets come
in a wallet. The later sets are in a hard plastic case. The
coins are Brilliant Uncirculated.
Item
JP-SET82 JAPAN 1982 OFFICIAL MINT SET, 6 COINS
+ MEDAL IN PLASTIC WALLET $19.95
Item
JP-SET83 JAPAN 1983 OFFICIAL MINT SET, 6 COINS
+ MEDAL IN PLASTIC WALLET $21.00
Item
JP-SET84 JAPAN 1984 OFFICIAL MINT SET, 6 COINS
+ MEDAL IN PLASTIC CASE
$21.00
Item
JP-SET86 JAPAN 1986 OFFICIAL MINT SET, 6 COINS
+ MEDAL IN PLASTIC CASE
$21.00
Item
JP-SET88 JAPAN 1988 OFFICIAL MINT SET, 6 COINS
+ MEDAL IN PLASTIC CASE
$19.95
Item
JP-SET99 JAPAN 1999 OFFICIAL MINT SET, 6 COINS
+ MEDAL IN PLASTIC CASE
$19.95
Also see:
WWII
JAPANESE INVASION MONEY
WORLD WAR II CURRENCY OF
JAPAN
POST-WAR CURRENCY OF JAPAN
FIBER COIN
FROM MANCHUKUO
WWII ERA JAPANESE
MILITARY CURRENCY
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