Catalog
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| Issuer | Kaga Domain |
|---|---|
| Year | 1866 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Irregular rectangular silver flan matching the obverse format, with a raised inner rectangular border and an outer border lined with a series of raised bosses along all four sides. The recessed field bears two large Chinese characters executed in bold cursive grass script (sōsho) in high relief: 南 (south/quality) above 鐐 (refined silver), reading vertically downward and together signifying 'quality silver' (nanryō). A small decorative mark, likely a domain or assayer's symbol, appears at the upper center of the inner field above the main legend. The hammered surface displays characteristic tool marks consistent with hand-manufacture in a domain mint. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Kaga Domain's silver bu issues of 1866 occupy an awkward moment in Japanese monetary history — the Tokugawa shogunate was actively debasing its own national coinage while individual domains scrambled to maintain workable local exchange media. The "Nanryōgin" designation links this piece to the older nanbansen silver weight standard, invoked here more as a mark of quality assurance than any formal institutional connection.
The cursive script variety is distinguished from the standard issue by its calligraphic execution, likely reflecting a different engraver or authorization batch. Within two years of this striking, the Meiji Restoration would abolish domain coinage entirely.