1 Mon 'Jingō Kaihō' - Shōtoku

The Jingō Kaihō was issued under Empress Shōtoku — one of only two women to reign over Japan — and represents the eighth in the series of Kōchōsen, the twelve imperially-minted coinages of the Nara period. Production was persistently troubled: the court struggled to source adequate copper, and counterfeit castings circulated almost immediately after issue. Official response included severe penalties for forgery and repeated edicts compelling tax payments in coin, both signs that voluntary adoption by the population was failing.

Hoards recovered in the Kinki region suggest most examples saw minimal hand-to-hand use before deposition.