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4 Mon 'Bunkyūeihō' Bosen, 21 waves
| Issuer | Japan |
|---|---|
| Year | 1863 |
| Type | Coin pattern |
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| Obverse description | Four Chinese characters arranged around a central square hole, reading 文久永寶 (Bunkyūeihō), rendered in a stylized semi-cursive script — notably the character 文 (Bun) is written in cursive form as 攵. The inscription is read clockwise from the top, following traditional East Asian numismatic convention. The characters occupy the four cardinal positions in the field surrounding the central perforation, with no additional border ornamentation on this face. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Chinese (Kanji) |
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| Additional information |
The Bunkyū Eiho 4-mon was authorized in 1863 as part of the Tokugawa shogunate's attempt to address a chronic copper shortage that had plagued the monetary system for decades. By increasing the nominal value of the coin while reducing its copper content relative to earlier 4-mon types, the mint effectively debased the currency — a move that generated immediate public suspicion and resistance in daily commerce. The "21 waves" variety distinguishes itself from the more common 11-waves reverse, a detail significant enough to Japanese collectors that the two are cataloged as separate types entirely.