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1 Ryō 'Kōshū Tsuyu Ichiryōkin'
| Issuer | Kai Province |
|---|---|
| Year | 1578-1609 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Ryō |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Convex, domed hammered gold flan of irregular round form, bearing four stamped Japanese characters arranged in a cruciform pattern across the central field: 松 (Matsu, pine) and 木 (ki, tree) to the left and right, with 壹 (ichi, one) and 両 (ryō, unit of currency) below, collectively reading 'Matsuki Ichiryō' (One Ryō of the Matsuki authority). A decorative floral or paulownia-style seal punch is impressed in the upper field above the character group, serving as an authenticating mark. The entire surface displays the characteristic irregular texture and flow lines of hand-hammered gold, with pronounced convexity typical of Kōshū tsuyu-kin coinage. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Plain convex reverse of hammered gold, exhibiting the highly irregular, rounded dome profile characteristic of the Kōshū tsuyu-kin (Kai Province dew-gold) series. The surface is entirely unadorned, displaying natural flow lines, hammer marks, and surface undulations resulting from the hand-hammering production technique. A faint circular depression or partial seal impression may be discerned near the centre, likely a trace from the opposing die strike. No inscriptions, legends, or decorative devices are present. |
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| Additional information |
Kai Province's gold currency predates the Tokugawa unification that would eventually standardize Japanese coinage under the Edo mint system. These pieces were issued under the authority of the Takeda clan — and after Takeda Katsuyori's defeat in 1582, continued under successive administrators of the province. The "Kōshū" designation simply means Kai Province by its classical name, and the "tsuyu" (dew) likely references a quality or purity mark specific to Kai's gold-refining tradition.
Kai's mountainous terrain made it one of the most productive gold-mining regions in sixteenth-century Japan, centered on the Kurokawa gold mines in what is now Yamanashi Prefecture.