Roma Numismatics Ltd
E-Sale 81 25 Feb 2021
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Japan, Azuchi-Momoyama Period Æ Mon. Circa 1580-90. Four Chinese characters (cf. emperor Kai Tsu (1364-1367): ta chung túng pao) around square hole. H #2.25. 2.80g.
Very Fine. Rare.
From 1587 Japan started exporting goods to China and received Chinese copper-alloy cash coins in return for payment; around this time the Japanese stopped minting their own coins and started relying heavily on Chinese cash coins, as the internal demand for copper coinage increased. The Eiraku Tsuho coin in Japan is known as a toraisen ("Tang money" or "Chinese money"), and other cash coins with Ming dynasty era inscriptions also started circulating in Japan. As the imports of Chinese cash coins didn't fulfil the demand, many Japanese mints started casting reproductions of these toraisen, which were known as shichusen, and shichusen of inferior quality were known as bitasen or money made from bad metal. These coins with Ming dynasty inscriptions remained in circulation in Japan until they were officially prohibited by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1608. Eiraku Tsuho type coins struck in silver are quite rare.
Auctioned in association with and on behalf of Dutch Numismatic Auction by Agora Numismatiek, Amsterdam. Cataloguing by Dutch Numismatic Auction; photography and client services provided by Roma Numismatics Ltd.
Very Fine. Rare.
From 1587 Japan started exporting goods to China and received Chinese copper-alloy cash coins in return for payment; around this time the Japanese stopped minting their own coins and started relying heavily on Chinese cash coins, as the internal demand for copper coinage increased. The Eiraku Tsuho coin in Japan is known as a toraisen ("Tang money" or "Chinese money"), and other cash coins with Ming dynasty era inscriptions also started circulating in Japan. As the imports of Chinese cash coins didn't fulfil the demand, many Japanese mints started casting reproductions of these toraisen, which were known as shichusen, and shichusen of inferior quality were known as bitasen or money made from bad metal. These coins with Ming dynasty inscriptions remained in circulation in Japan until they were officially prohibited by the Tokugawa shogunate in 1608. Eiraku Tsuho type coins struck in silver are quite rare.
Auctioned in association with and on behalf of Dutch Numismatic Auction by Agora Numismatiek, Amsterdam. Cataloguing by Dutch Numismatic Auction; photography and client services provided by Roma Numismatics Ltd.