2021-02-16 Tue

Originally cast in the 6th year of the Tenpo era, the Tenpo Tsuho Coins were an Edo or Tokugwa period coin with a face value of 100 mon.

The Tokugawa shogunate also known, especially in Japanese, as the Edo shogunate, was the feudal military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1868. Tokugawa coinage was a unitary and independent metallic monetary system established by shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1601 in Japan, and which lasted throughout the Tokugawa period until its end in 1867.

In 1835 the Tokugawa government started minting copper 100 mon named Tenpo Tsuho as a way to solve its budgetary deficit. However, the coin contained only 5½ as much copper as a 1 mon Kan'ei tsuho, it led to the rapid inflation, hence were withdrawn for the circulation. Today the coins are collected as lucky charms or for numismatics purpose.

he obverse of the coin reads "Tenpo" a reference to the era this coin was designed in, and "Tsuho" which means "circulating treasure" or currency. The reverse of the coin depicts To Hyaku, (equals 100), and the Kao of Goto San'emon.

Image Courtesy: ccoins.ru