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Chōgin 'Genbun Chōgin' 12 Daikoku
| Issuer | Tokugawa Shogunate |
|---|---|
| Year | 1736-1818 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Obverse surface of this elongated oval billon ingot-coin bearing twelve hand-applied Daikoku (大黒) stamps, the god of wealth depicted in his traditional seated pose, distributed across the field in multiple rows. Two additional 文 (Bun) character stamps appear near both tips of the oval, serving as supplementary assay or authorization marks. A large red lacquer seal (hanshita) is applied to the central field, characteristic of Genbun-era chōgin authentication. The entire surface displays the typical hammered, slightly convex texture of Edo-period silver currency. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Chinese (Kanji) |
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| Additional information |
The Genbun Chōgin was introduced in 1736 as part of a deliberate debasement policy under the eighth Tokugawa shogun, Yoshimune, reversing his own earlier monetary reforms that had temporarily restored the higher-purity Genroku-era silver. Faced with persistent deflation and chronic fiscal pressure, the shogunate reduced silver fineness sharply — the Genbun issue came in at roughly half the purity of the Keichō originals from a century prior. The twelve Daikoku stamps indicate this piece passed through verification and re-authorization cycles over its long circulation life.