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Chōgin 'Hōei Eiji Chōgin' 6 stamps
| Issuer | Tokugawa Shogunate Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1710 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | 95 mm |
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| Obverse description | Irregular oval cast billon ingot with a slightly convex, smoothed surface bearing six official authenticating stamps (eiji) applied in two vertical columns. The upper portion displays two large rectangular cartouches containing kanji characters in cursive script, flanked by a circular seal stamp at upper right. The central field is dominated by a large oval depression characteristic of the casting process, with an additional small round seal stamp at center. The lower portion bears further rectangular kanji cartouches to the left and two additional circular seal stamps to the right, all impressed into the surface as government assay and authorization marks identifying this as Hōei-era currency. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Mint | Kyoto / Edo Mint |
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| Additional information |
The Hōei Eiji Chōgin was issued in 1710 as part of a broader currency debasement driven by the Shogunate's chronic fiscal pressure — the silver content had been slashed repeatedly since the Keichō-era chōgin, which ran close to .800 fine. Arai Hakuseki, the Confucian scholar and senior advisor to Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu, vocally opposed these debasements and would push successfully for a partial revaluation just years later under the Shōtoku currency reform of 1714.
The six stamps (six ink stamps of authorization) distinguish this issue from earlier and later chōgin, allowing attribution without relying on fineness assay alone.