168:. While he came to the conclusion that the coins may have been used as a type of ornament, the amount of "ornaments" found (100+ pieces) made it difficult to understand. He also suggested that it would be better to think of them as a type of currency. Kanichi Kuroda of the Oriental Numismatic Association argued that Mumonginsen were coin-shaped items with a small circular hole. He then stated that there was no reason for the state to cast such a crude coin when minting them for the first time. Historian Aoyama Reishi stated in his opinion that even if they weren't currency, Mumonginsen must be recognized as transitional circulating coinage. In his reasoning the approximately 100 excavated coins have little variation in weight, and there are too many of them to have been buried as offerings at Shinpo-ji
20:
133:, the use of gold and silver was regulated by royal authority. Tanaka went on to say that it's been proven by literature and archaeology that they functioned as a symbol of the royal authority's status order. When compared to Japan at the time, Tanaka mentions that before the 7th century gold and silver were supplied by the international community. As each powerful clan (chief) obtained these precious resources, there was a basis to circulate coins in a multilateral manner without being regulated by the royal authority.
1105:
86:. Each coin is roughly 3 centimeters in diameter, 2 millimeters thick, and weighs about 8 to 10 grams. These coins differ from later issues as they feature small round holes as opposed to a large central square. Only a few of those excavated have inscriptions, and many of the coins have silver pieces attached to their surfaces which are thought to have been added to make the weight uniform. All of the coins are thought to have been issued during the reign of
1042:
182:
points out that the remains at the ruins sites (where the coins were found) has generally been either discarded or deliberately buried. Since it's difficult to imagine that something as valuable as silver would have been discarded, he suggests that the undeclared silver coins are biased toward those
98:. An entry for 683 AD states: "Summer, 4th month, 15th day. The Emperor made a decree; saying:-"Henceforth copper coins must be used, and not silver coins". This decree meant that the coins were issued before the
1021:
156:, and were likely not officially minted coins made by the government. Instead he theorized that the coins were made by private individuals in Japan using silver produced in Korea. Japanese historian
1014:
1007:
1064:
665:
1094:
878:
1054:
24:
19:
1069:
850:
788:
1393:
102:. Another indicator of dating is the large amount of coins that were excavated from Åmi Province which suggests a connection to
1383:
1345:
1084:
184:
1388:
1280:
145:. There is now a consensus that Mumonginsen at the very least were recognized as having value as currency.
763:
316:
1357:
1350:
1199:
1104:
213:
141:
The true purpose of
Mumonginsen has been debated by several historians and scholars since at least the
103:
59:
157:
1079:
759:
478:
227:
179:
1239:
452:
149:
558:
79:
1362:
719:
These coins were worth 6 shu in the unit of measurement at the time (1 ryo was equal to 24 shu)
1270:
1219:
1136:
1030:
874:
846:
784:
220:
118:
99:
43:
1181:
703:
699:
695:
330:
309:
161:
110:
75:
1229:
691:
670:
497:
425:
278:
244:
165:
71:
63:
1166:
519:
302:
67:
1146:
707:
587:
1377:
1059:
541:
359:
142:
87:
1300:
1189:
1089:
911:
Twelve
Sections on Money, Volume 4 of the Ancient Japanese Economic Exchange Series
396:
153:
114:
91:
83:
47:
50:, there are theories that mainly lean towards these coins being privately minted.
178:. (see: "Excavated examples" section below) Japanese archaeologist and professor
1156:
1074:
403:
285:
95:
999:
1249:
1209:
337:
1041:
765:
Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the
Earliest Times to A.D. 697, Volume 2
130:
1320:
1290:
748:. Japanese Currency Collections, Hachette Collections. 2009. p. 3.
471:
126:
62:, about 120 Mumon ginsen have been excavated from 17 sites: seven in
1310:
926:
On
Unstated Silver Coins: Research on Ancient Unstated Silver Coins
431:
1 coin found from Rokujo Sanbo with some of its edges scraped off.
565:
251:
122:
18:
42:(aka "Plain silver coin") is believed to be the earliest form of
1003:
152:(1872-1919) suggested that the silver coins dated to the
160:(1879-1943) referred to entries in the 12th year of the
109:
In contrast to Japan, silver coins were not used on the
746:
The Museum of the
History of Currency: Pre-Asuka Period
633:
6 pieces of one coin were found at the
Asukaike ruins.
547:
Photo from the Tani ruins, shows a sectioned fragment.
183:
used as altar implements which wouldn't mean they were
58:
Throughout their search history stretching back to the
1338:
1263:
1180:
1119:
1112:
1047:
257:
Around 100 pieces were initially found at Shinpo-ji
990:Japanese Coins: A Guide to Collecting" (revised)
23:Replica of a Mumon ginsen coin exhibited at the
896:Studies on the History of the Japanese Economy
260:
171:
35:
1015:
992:. Japan Numismatic Dealers Association. 2010.
8:
836:
834:
832:
830:
828:
826:
824:
822:
820:
818:
816:
814:
812:
810:
808:
806:
804:
802:
800:
46:. Issued between 667 and 672 AD during the
1116:
1065:List of Japanese cash coins by inscription
1022:
1008:
1000:
873:. KADOKAWA Sophia Bunko. p. 139-142.
740:
738:
736:
666:List of Japanese cash coins by inscription
315:12 coins were excavated from the ruins of
194:
365:Photo from the ruins of Kawahara Temple.
984:
982:
980:
978:
976:
974:
972:
970:
781:Tomonsen and the Mysterious Silver Coins
968:
966:
964:
962:
960:
958:
956:
954:
952:
950:
864:
862:
732:
683:
291:Photo of coins found in Tsuge village.
206:
503:Photo from the Akanoiwanminami ruins.
571:Photo from the Ogura Bettocho ruins.
7:
871:Ancient History of Crossing Borders
25:National Museum of Japanese History
928:. Oriental Numismatic Association.
593:Photo from the Amago Nishi ruins.
525:Photo from the Kitsunezuka ruins.
94:based on a written account in the
14:
1070:List of Japanese coinage patterns
1103:
1040:
913:. Hanawa Shobo. p. 120-124.
690:These regions are now known as:
653:Photo from the Reisenji ruins.
267:temple, but only 2 now remain.
16:Early form of Japanese currency
941:Currency Notebook 1973 Edition
783:. Shogakukan. p. 89-101.
1:
843:Issuance of Wadokaichin Coins
673:- concurrent Chinese coinage.
343:Photo from Funabashi ruins.
233:1 coin was allegedly found.
845:. Shibundo. p. 18-23.
768:. Society. p. 359-360.
1410:
702:(for Settsu and Kawachi),
117:. Professor Fumio Tanaka (
1101:
1038:
909:Nishimura Shinji (1933).
409:Photo from Kitano Kofun.
261:
172:
164:for the silver mining in
36:
841:Matsumura Keiji (2009).
1394:Economy of feudal Japan
1055:Currency Museum (Japan)
943:. Shobunsha. p. 6.
613:Photo from Nijo-sanbo.
939:Aoyama Reishi (1972).
779:Imamura Keiji (2001).
201:Location (historical)
70:, and one each in the
27:
1358:Negotiable instrument
894:Uchida Ginzo (1921).
869:Tanaka Fumio (2017).
385:Photo from Asukakyo.
22:
1080:Nagasaki trade coins
760:William George Aston
319:, 1 is now missing.
1384:Currencies of Japan
148:Japanese historian
121:) mentions that in
204:Location (modern)
191:Excavated examples
28:
1371:
1370:
1334:
1333:
1031:Japanese currency
880:978-4-04-400262-6
657:
656:
185:numismatic charms
119:Waseda University
44:Japanese currency
1401:
1346:Edo period scrip
1117:
1107:
1085:Numismatic charm
1044:
1024:
1017:
1010:
1001:
994:
993:
986:
945:
944:
936:
930:
929:
924:Kanichi Kuroda.
921:
915:
914:
906:
900:
899:
891:
885:
884:
866:
857:
856:
838:
795:
794:
776:
770:
769:
756:
750:
749:
742:
720:
717:
711:
688:
317:SÅ«fuku-ji temple
266:
264:
263:
195:
177:
175:
174:
158:Shinji Nishimura
111:Korean peninsula
41:
39:
38:
1409:
1408:
1404:
1403:
1402:
1400:
1399:
1398:
1374:
1373:
1372:
1367:
1330:
1271:Chinese coinage
1259:
1176:
1108:
1099:
1045:
1034:
1028:
998:
997:
988:
987:
948:
938:
937:
933:
923:
922:
918:
908:
907:
903:
893:
892:
888:
881:
868:
867:
860:
853:
840:
839:
798:
791:
778:
777:
773:
758:
757:
753:
744:
743:
734:
729:
724:
723:
718:
714:
689:
685:
680:
671:Kaiyuan Tongbao
662:
650:
645:
640:
630:
625:
620:
610:
605:
600:
590:
583:
578:
568:
561:
554:
544:
537:
532:
522:
515:
510:
500:
493:
488:
479:Karahashi ruins
477:Photo from the
474:
467:
462:
448:
443:
438:
428:
421:
416:
406:
399:
392:
382:
377:
372:
362:
355:
350:
340:
333:
326:
312:
305:
298:
288:
281:
274:
258:
254:
247:
240:
230:
223:
216:
193:
180:Keiji Matsumura
169:
139:
104:Åmi Åtsu Palace
56:
33:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1407:
1405:
1397:
1396:
1391:
1389:Coins of Japan
1386:
1376:
1375:
1369:
1368:
1366:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1354:
1353:
1342:
1340:
1339:Paper currency
1336:
1335:
1332:
1331:
1329:
1328:
1327:
1326:
1318:
1317:
1316:
1308:
1307:
1306:
1298:
1297:
1296:
1288:
1287:
1286:
1278:
1277:
1276:
1267:
1265:
1261:
1260:
1258:
1257:
1256:
1255:
1247:
1246:
1245:
1237:
1236:
1235:
1227:
1226:
1225:
1217:
1216:
1215:
1207:
1206:
1205:
1197:
1196:
1195:
1186:
1184:
1178:
1177:
1175:
1174:
1173:
1172:
1164:
1163:
1162:
1154:
1153:
1152:
1144:
1143:
1142:
1134:
1133:
1132:
1123:
1121:
1114:
1110:
1109:
1102:
1100:
1098:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1067:
1062:
1057:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1039:
1036:
1035:
1029:
1027:
1026:
1019:
1012:
1004:
996:
995:
946:
931:
916:
901:
886:
879:
858:
851:
796:
789:
771:
751:
731:
730:
728:
725:
722:
721:
712:
682:
681:
679:
676:
675:
674:
668:
661:
658:
655:
654:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
635:
634:
631:
628:
626:
623:
621:
618:
615:
614:
611:
608:
606:
603:
601:
598:
595:
594:
591:
586:
584:
581:
579:
576:
573:
572:
569:
564:
562:
557:
555:
552:
549:
548:
545:
540:
538:
535:
533:
530:
527:
526:
523:
518:
516:
513:
511:
508:
505:
504:
501:
496:
494:
491:
489:
486:
483:
482:
475:
470:
468:
465:
463:
460:
457:
456:
453:Ishigami Ruins
449:
446:
444:
441:
439:
436:
433:
432:
429:
424:
422:
419:
417:
414:
411:
410:
407:
402:
400:
395:
393:
390:
387:
386:
383:
380:
378:
375:
373:
370:
367:
366:
363:
358:
356:
353:
351:
348:
345:
344:
341:
336:
334:
329:
327:
324:
321:
320:
313:
308:
306:
301:
299:
296:
293:
292:
289:
284:
282:
277:
275:
272:
269:
268:
255:
250:
248:
243:
241:
238:
235:
234:
231:
226:
224:
219:
217:
212:
209:
208:
207:Short summary
205:
202:
199:
192:
189:
138:
135:
55:
52:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1406:
1395:
1392:
1390:
1387:
1385:
1382:
1381:
1379:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1352:
1349:
1348:
1347:
1344:
1343:
1341:
1337:
1324:
1323:
1322:
1319:
1314:
1313:
1312:
1309:
1304:
1303:
1302:
1299:
1294:
1293:
1292:
1289:
1284:
1283:
1282:
1279:
1274:
1273:
1272:
1269:
1268:
1266:
1262:
1253:
1252:
1251:
1248:
1243:
1242:
1241:
1238:
1233:
1232:
1231:
1228:
1223:
1222:
1221:
1218:
1213:
1212:
1211:
1208:
1203:
1202:
1201:
1198:
1193:
1192:
1191:
1188:
1187:
1185:
1183:
1179:
1170:
1169:
1168:
1165:
1160:
1159:
1158:
1155:
1150:
1149:
1148:
1145:
1140:
1139:
1138:
1135:
1130:
1129:
1128:
1125:
1124:
1122:
1118:
1115:
1111:
1106:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1066:
1063:
1061:
1060:Kocho Junisen
1058:
1056:
1053:
1052:
1050:
1043:
1037:
1032:
1025:
1020:
1018:
1013:
1011:
1006:
1005:
1002:
991:
985:
983:
981:
979:
977:
975:
973:
971:
969:
967:
965:
963:
961:
959:
957:
955:
953:
951:
947:
942:
935:
932:
927:
920:
917:
912:
905:
902:
897:
890:
887:
882:
876:
872:
865:
863:
859:
854:
852:9784784335121
848:
844:
837:
835:
833:
831:
829:
827:
825:
823:
821:
819:
817:
815:
813:
811:
809:
807:
805:
803:
801:
797:
792:
790:4-09-626124-6
786:
782:
775:
772:
767:
766:
761:
755:
752:
747:
741:
739:
737:
733:
726:
716:
713:
709:
705:
701:
697:
693:
687:
684:
677:
672:
669:
667:
664:
663:
659:
652:
647:
642:
637:
636:
632:
627:
622:
617:
616:
612:
607:
602:
597:
596:
592:
589:
585:
580:
575:
574:
570:
567:
563:
560:
556:
551:
550:
546:
543:
539:
534:
529:
528:
524:
521:
517:
512:
507:
506:
502:
499:
495:
490:
485:
484:
480:
476:
473:
469:
464:
459:
458:
454:
450:
445:
440:
435:
434:
430:
427:
423:
418:
413:
412:
408:
405:
401:
398:
394:
389:
388:
384:
379:
374:
369:
368:
364:
361:
357:
352:
347:
346:
342:
339:
335:
332:
328:
323:
322:
318:
314:
311:
307:
304:
300:
295:
294:
290:
287:
283:
280:
276:
271:
270:
256:
253:
249:
246:
242:
237:
236:
232:
229:
225:
222:
218:
215:
211:
210:
203:
200:
197:
196:
190:
188:
186:
181:
167:
163:
162:HakuhÅ period
159:
155:
151:
146:
144:
136:
134:
132:
128:
124:
120:
116:
112:
107:
105:
101:
97:
93:
89:
88:Emperor Tenji
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
53:
51:
49:
45:
32:
26:
21:
1301:Ryukyuan mon
1275:c. 1101â1700
1220:Shu (silver)
1200:Kan'ei TsÅ«hÅ
1167:Taihei GenpÅ
1126:
1095:Yen currency
1090:Momme (unit)
989:
940:
934:
925:
919:
910:
904:
895:
889:
870:
842:
780:
774:
764:
754:
745:
715:
686:
154:Tenmu period
150:Ginzo Uchida
147:
140:
115:Tenji period
108:
92:Tenji period
60:EnkyÅ period
57:
48:Tenji period
31:Mumon ginsen
30:
29:
1363:Rice stamps
1240:TenpÅ TsÅ«hÅ
1157:Kaiki Shoho
1147:WadÅkaichin
1127:Mumonginsen
1075:Mother coin
898:. Dobunkan.
609:Nara (city)
451:Photo from
286:Nara (city)
198:Year found
113:during the
96:Nihon Shoki
90:during the
84:Ise regions
1378:Categories
1315:1500sâ1871
1230:Shu (gold)
727:References
143:TaishÅ era
1325:1573â1862
1305:1454â1879
1295:1404â1670
1285:1336â1870
1254:1837â1869
1250:Ichibugin
1244:1835-1870
1234:1824â1869
1224:1772â1869
1214:1714â1854
1210:Ichibuban
1204:1626â1868
1194:1601â1868
1033:(pre-yen)
559:Yamashiro
426:Kashihara
338:Kashiwara
228:Kagoshima
80:Yamashiro
66:, six in
1351:Hatamoto
1137:Huhonsen
762:(1896).
660:See also
498:Moriyama
166:Tsushima
131:Goguryeo
100:Huhonsen
54:Overview
1291:Bitasen
1151:708â958
1131:667â672
1120:Pre-Edo
1113:Coinage
542:Sakurai
331:Kawachi
137:Purpose
76:Kawachi
1048:Topics
877:
849:
787:
706:, and
624:Yamoto
604:Yamato
536:Yamoto
442:Yamoto
420:Yamoto
404:Suzuka
376:Yamoto
354:Yamato
279:Yamato
245:Settsu
129:, and
127:Baekje
82:, and
72:Settsu
64:Yamato
1264:Multi
1190:Koban
704:Kyoto
700:Osaka
696:Shiga
678:Notes
649:RittÅ
629:Asuka
566:Kyoto
520:RittÅ
447:Asuka
381:Asuka
360:Asuka
310:Shiga
252:Osaka
221:Åsumi
214:EnkyÅ
123:Silla
1321:Åban
875:ISBN
847:ISBN
785:ISBN
692:Nara
639:2004
619:1998
599:1997
588:KÅra
577:1995
553:1994
531:1994
509:1988
487:1988
472:Åtsu
461:1987
437:1986
415:1985
391:1976
371:1976
349:1958
325:1956
297:1940
273:1873
262:ç寳é¢ã®
239:1761
173:ç寳é¢ã®
37:ç¡æéé
1311:RyÅ
1281:Mon
1182:Edo
1171:760
1161:760
1141:683
708:Mie
644:Åmi
582:Åmi
514:Åmi
492:Åmi
466:Åmi
397:Ise
303:Åmi
68:Omi
1380::
949:^
861:^
799:^
735:^
698:,
694:,
481:.
455:.
187:.
125:,
106:.
78:,
74:,
1023:e
1016:t
1009:v
883:.
855:.
793:.
710:.
265:)
259:(
176:)
170:(
40:)
34:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
