Kocho Junisen

kōchō jūnisen (皇朝十二銭) (a.k.a. jūnizeni) is a general term for 12 types of copper coins minted in Japan under the Ritsuryo system from 708 (Wadō 1st year) to 963 (Ōwa 3rd year).[1] All of the included coins are circular in shape, have a square hole in the center, and were worth 1 mon.[a]

History

Japan's first formal currency system was the Kōchōsen (Japanese: 皇朝銭, "Imperial currency"). It was exemplified by the adoption of Japan's first official coin type, the Wadōkaichin.[2][3] It was first minted in 708 CE on order of Empress Genmei, Japan's 43rd Imperial ruler.[2] "Wadōkaichin" is the reading of the four characters printed on the coin, and is thought to be composed of the era name Wadō (和銅, "Japanese copper"), which could alternatively mean "happiness", and "Kaichin", thought to be related to "Currency".

The Kōchōsen Japanese system of coinage became strongly debased, with its metallic content and value decreasing. By the middle of the 9th century, the value of a coin in rice had fallen to 1/150th of its value of the early 8th century.[4] By the end of the 10th century, compounded with weaknesses in the political system, this led to the abandonment of the national currency, with the return to rice as a currency medium. The last official Japanese coin emission occurred in 958, with very low quality coins called Kengen Taihō (乾元大宝), which soon fell into disuse.[4]

Coins

ImageInscriptionKyūjitaiShinjitaiYear of introduction
(Julian calendar)
Wadōkaichin和同開珎和同開珎708
Mannen Tsūhō萬年通寳万年通宝760
Jingū Kaihō神功開寳神功開宝765
Ryūhei Eihō隆平永寳隆平永宝796
Fuju Shinpō富壽神寳富寿神宝818
Jōwa Shōhō承和昌寳承和昌宝835
Chōnen Taihō長年大寳長年大宝848
Jōeki Shinpō饒益神寳饒益神宝859
Jōgan Eihō貞觀永寳貞観永宝870
Kanpyō Taihō寛平大寳寛平大宝890
Engi Tsūhō延喜通寳延喜通宝907
Kengen Taihō乹元大寳乾元大宝958


See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "Mon" was a unit of currency (ex: Dollar) before the Muromachi period when they took a physical form.

References

  1. ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2005). "Wadō-kaihō". Japan Encyclopedia. p. 539. ISBN 978-0674017535.
  2. 1 2 The Cambridge history of Japan: Heian Japan John Whitney Hall, Donald H. (Donald Howard) Shively, William H. McCullough p.434
  3. ↑ Japan Mint – History of Japanese coins. Retrieved: 26 June 2017.
  4. 1 2 Japan Currency Museum (日本貨幣博物館) permanent exhibit
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