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Mameitagin 'Ansei Mameitagin' small 政 SEI character
| Issuer | Tokugawa Shogunate |
|---|---|
| Year | 1859-1865 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Monme Silver / Monme-Gin / Ginme (1601-1874) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Plain, uninscribed reverse presenting the naturally convex, bean-shaped billon surface without any stamped devices or legends. The surface exhibits the characteristic granular texture and iridescent toning typical of low-silver billon alloy, with no intentional design elements applied. The irregular organic outline of the flan is a direct result of the traditional hand-hammering process used in the production of mameitagin coinage. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Rounded |
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| Additional information |
The Ansei Mameitagin was struck in response to a currency crisis triggered by the forced opening of Japan's ports under the Convention of Kanagawa and subsequent commercial treaties. Foreign merchants quickly discovered that silver-to-gold exchange ratios in Japan were severely undervalued relative to world markets, enabling massive arbitrage drains on Japanese gold reserves. The Shogunate's answer was to debase the silver coinage sharply — the Ansei issues carry a fraction of the silver content of their Tenpō predecessors.
The small 政 character variant identified in JNDA#9-69 is one of several die distinctions within the Ansei series, reflecting the rapid, high-volume production conditions of the period.