If you collect sets of Japanese coins or have just one Japanese coin, a Japanese Military Payment Certificate or some Japanese Occupation Currency (or know a little of Japan's history) you've heard or know about Samaurai Warriors and Shoguns (military leaders). From the early 1500s right up to the Meiji Restoration in 1868 these military leaders dominated Japanese society. During this period ( Eddo - approx. 300 years) most coinage, that circulated throughout Japan, was minted by the central government of Japan (Tokugawa Shogunate). No one else in Japan could strike coins under penalty of death. In many regions coins were in short supply (unable to keep up with demand) so, to get around the death penalty, paper notes were issued by reputable companies, bustling communities, large banks, local nobles, religious groups, and merchants within the different clan territories. These coin replacements were in the form of tall, thin, heavy paper notes (6" x 1.5") (160mm x 49mm) known as Hansatsu. Han refers to the clan territories and satsu refers to paper notes, thus it translates to clan notes. As luck would have it, from the early days of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the seventeenth century, until the mid-nineteenth century, thousands of these notes were issued. In an attempt to promote its own coinage, the central government banned their issue in 1707. But faced with the financial ruin of the clan territories, the government rescinded the ban in 1730. Hansatsuwere issued in a variety of designs ranging from simple (text only, one color ink on one color paper) to intricate (graphics, colored inks, colored Japanese characters and multi-color paper). Some designs featured on the notes included images of local flora and fauna, such as chrysanthemums and storks; waves (nami); and mythical figures, such as Diakoku the god of wealth shown seated atop two bags of grain, an early means of barter in Japan. Joel Anderson, owner of Joelscoins.com has been gracious to provide photos of two different notes. 1. A Yellow Hansatsu 3 Momme of Silver Note (rice paper) dated 1730 From Nagasawa, Kawachi (now Osaka) : http://www.joelscoins.com/images/hansatsu6r.jpg 2. A Blue Hansatsu 1 Momme of Rice dated 1863 from Hyogo Prefecture of Kasai http://www.joelscoins.com/images/hansatsukasair.jpg Did you notice the denomination of those Hansatsu were "of rice" or "of silver" (gin)? They could be "of gold" (kin), "of copper," "of charcoal," or "of umbrellas" A Momme is a Japanese unit of weight or mass. The Japanese Momme is a minor weight, but there is a smaller weight called Bu (10 bu = 1 Momme). There are larger weights: 100 Momme = 1 Hyakume or 375 grams metric 160 Momme = 1 Kin or 600 grams metric 1000 Momme = 1 Kanme or 1 Kan or 3750 grams metric 1 Bu = 375 milligrams (0.375 grams) metric 1 Momme = 3750 milligrams (3.75 grams) metric I have a surprise for you! Joel Anderson has a photo of another Hansatsu much different from the two you've already seen. This is a much rarer note. Instead of being 1.5 inches wide it is 3 inches wide. It was made to be folded in half so it could be carried like a regular Hansatsu. This note is a 10 Momme of Silver issued in 1818 by the clan leader Sesshu (Settsu) Amagasaki whose feudal domain abutted the borders of Osaka. There are more differences from the previous notes: two blue stripes and assorted seals were added to thwart counterfeiters and that small hole at the top was placed there on purpose so the top of the note could be pinned down to prevent "flying in the wind." Here's a photo of a 1777 1 Momme of silver Hansatsu issued by the Amagasaki clan showing both sides, courtesy of Joel Anderson: http://www.joelscoins.com/images/japanhansatsubigr.jpg Here's another surprise courtesy of the British Museum! http://www.britishmuseum.org/explor...bjects/cm/h/hansatsu_clan_note_for_1_mom.aspx Want to see another Hansatsu? The Fukui clan in Echizen issued Hansatsu from 1661 to 1673. Below is a link to a photo of a 10-momme of Silver issued in 1666. On both sides of the denomination, written in ink, is traced a row of characters with a different shape and meaning but pronounced identically to the "ten" in the note's denomination (courtesy of Bank of Japan): http://www.imes.boj.or.jp/cm/english_htmls/feature_gra2-2.htm If you want to view more photos here's a Hansatsu Gallery Website. Note click any photo for full-size two-sided view of notes: http://www.yogoro.org/index2.htm If you are like me and want to see even more photos of Hansatsu click the following link, scroll about 90% of the way down (Hansatsu section) and click the P - S? link plus any numbered link in the lower left row (1 thru 8) Hope you enjoyed this post... Clinker
Thanks, and great post Clinker, I used to be particulay interested in the Meji era though I forgot much
To randygeki.... I didn't know anything about the Eddo Period (when Hansatsu was issued) nor the Meiji Period which followed. Both, and other, periods hold some interesting numismatic history. Clinker
Interesting read. But would the thread really be complete without a pic of the coins? Japan Kuan Ei type 1 cash, 1626-1859 AD Hartill 25.51
