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Ōban 'Man'en Ōban' Taganeme
| Issuer | Kinza (Gold Mint), Tokugawa Shogunate |
|---|---|
| Year | 1860-1862 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | The obverse presents the horizontally striated (crenellated) gold field characteristic of Ōban coinage, produced by the distinctive surface-finishing technique applied at the Kinza mint. Dominating the centre is a large boldly brushed ink inscription in cursive Japanese script reading '拾両' (Ten Ryō), applied in black sumi ink in the traditional calligraphic manner. Above the main inscription appears the Goto family authentication signature '後藤典乗' (Goto Tenjo), the hereditary assay master, also rendered in flowing cursive ink script. Four circular kiri (paulownia) crest stamps in relief gold are placed symmetrically across the field — one at upper centre, one at lower centre, and one each at the left and right flanks — serving as mint verification marks. The entire composition reflects the hand-finished artisanal production method of the Edo-period gold mint. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Man'en Ōban was struck in 1860 as part of a broader emergency recoinage forced on the Shogunate by the unequal exchange treaties signed with Western powers beginning in 1858. Foreign traders, exploiting the domestic gold-to-silver ratio in Japan — roughly 1:5 versus the international 1:15 — were draining gold from the country at an alarming pace. The Shogunate's response was to dramatically reduce the gold content of circulating issues, and the Man'en Ōban carries a fineness far below its Edo-period predecessors.
Fewer than 2,500 are believed to have been produced across the entire emission.