Catalog
1 Ryō 'Suruga Sumikaki Koban'
| Issuer | Japan |
|---|---|
| Year | 1589 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Plain hammered gold oval field bearing a vertical ink-brushed inscription in cursive Japanese calligraphy (sumikaki), applied in black ink directly onto the gold surface. The central column reads '京目壹两駿河' (Kyō-me Ichi-ryō Suruga), denoting the Kyō-me weight standard of one ryō issued in Suruga province. A smaller secondary inscription appears to the right of the main column, likely an assayer's or official's notation. At the lower portion of the field, a raised oval seal impression is visible, characteristic of Tokugawa-period koban authentication marks. The granular, textured surface reflects the characteristic ishime (stone-ground) finish of early Edo-period koban coinage. |
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| Obverse lettering | 京 目 壹 两 駿 河 (Translation: One Ryō Suruga) |
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| Additional information |
The Suruga Sumikaki Koban belongs to the earliest phase of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's attempts to impose monetary order on a fragmented Japan. Struck in Suruga Province, the "sumikaki" designation refers to the ink-brushed inscriptions applied by mint officials — a quality-control authentication practice that predates the standardized stamp systems Hideyoshi would later enforce. These provincial koban predate the Tenshō Ōban centralization effort and reflect a transitional moment when regional gold production was being pulled under the control of a nascent national authority without yet being fully absorbed by it.