Nagasaki Bōeki-sen 長崎 貿易銭 > Nagasaki Trade coins Mint: 中島 長崎 肥前 Nakajima Nagasaki/Hizen

Compiled by Heinz Gratzer The town Nagasaki named after the Daimyō Nagasaki Kotaro was, since 元亀 2 (1571) the most important port for trade with Asian countries ( mainly , and Thailand). In Tenshō 15 (1587) due the big profit of trading and also to control the foreign influence, the Bakufu (government) took over the administration. From Keichō 4 (1600) ships of the Dutch East Indian Company arrived in . Shogun permitted them to open a trading post on the small isle Hirado 平戸, about 80 km north of Nagasaki. Also traders from Asian areas as well as Spaniards and the British East Indian Company gained permission to hold trading posts there. But in Kanei 15 (1638), when the foreigners, particularly the Spaniards started to get involved with the internal affairs of Japan, all foreigners were then expelled, the only exceptions were the Chinese and the Dutch traders, the latter were permitted to land with one ship every year at Hirado. They received this special status because they had helped the Bakufu with their ships canons, enabling them to break down a revolt in Shimabara 島原 Hizen. In Kanei 18 (1641) the Dutch were required to move onto the small man-made isle of Dejima 出島 in the port of Nagasaki, they were not permitted without a permit of the Bakufu to enter onshore. Once a year they had to send a delegation with gifts for the Shogun to escorted by Japanese guards. About sixteen to twenty employees of the company lived on an area of about 200 X 75 metres, a small bridge connected Dejima with the mainland. This was closely watched by the Samurai to prevent any contact with the general public. Only if proper authority had been obtained could nominated persons be permitted to enter Dejima to purchase daily goods for use in overseas trade. The Dutch request to use Japanese money was constantly refused by the Bakufu. Finally in 2 (1659) the government gave permission to open a mint in the district of Nakajima 中島 to cast trade coins (Bōeki-sen) for the Dutch. The inscription on these coins was copied from Chinese Song dynasty coins but with a clearly different style of characters. The use of these coins on the mainland was forbidden and for noncompliance came the death penalty. All Japanese who received these trade coins had to exchange them immediately for . The main part of these coins were used for the Trade with China, Vietnam and Thailand. The production was discontinued 天和 3 (1683). Genhō Tsūhō 元豊通寶 TSŪ with two dots Time of issue: Manji 万治 2 - 寛文 8 (1659-1668) Fat characters KAI of HŌ wider than high KAI of HŌ wider than high, GEN KAI of HŌ wider than high, GEN 貝 寶 shifted貝 to right,寶 wider distance between leaning貝 to left, small寶 distance between the 24,3 mm/3,2 g the first and second stroke of GEN first and second stroke of GEN

Shallow formed characters Long right leg of GEN Small GEN High GEN leaning to left

23,9 mm/3,7 g 23,6 mm/2,7 g 24,5 mm/2,7 g 23,4 mm/3,8 g Time of casting of all issues shown below: Kanbun 寛文 8 - Tenna 天和 3 (1668-1683) Genhō Tsūhō 元豊通寶 TSŪ with two dots

Deeply formed characters Right leg of GEN with large hook, Right leg of Gen 元 with large hook, first dot of TSŪ in cursive style first dot of TSŪ in cursive style

Broad outer rims on obverse and reverse, right leg of Broad outer rims on obverse and reverse, right leg of GEN with large hook, second dot of TSŪ in cursive style GEN with large hook, second dot of TSŪ in cursive style

24,3 mm/3,0 g Shrunken characters

Wide center hole Deeply formed HŌ 豊 and HŌ 寶 Deeply formed HŌ 豊 and TSŪ TSŪ with small head

24,2 mm/2,7 g GEN 元 leaning to left TSŪ 通 with small head broad GEN 元 shifted to right Slender KAI 貝 of HŌ 寶 24,5 mm/3,3 g 24,5 mm/3,6 g

Small characters Deeply formed HŌ 豊 Deeply formed HŌ 豊, smaller HŌ 寶 Slightly larger Shinnyō 辶, smaller HŌ 寶

accurate GEN GEN shifted to right GEN close to center hole (not centered), 24,5 mm/3,4 g first stroke of GEN leaning to right Different Chin 王尒 of Hō 寶

Large variety, broad outer rims on obverse and reverse

First dot of TSŪ in cursive style Tall GEN

25,0 mm/4,0 g Genhō Tsūhō 元豊通寶 TSŪ with one dot

GEN 元 leaning to right TSŪ 通 shifted to right Tall HŌ 豊 and HŌ 寶 tall GEN 24,5 mm/3,4 g 24,0 mm/4,0 g 25,0 mm/2,4 g 24,8 mm/3,2 g

Shrunken TSŪ 通 TSŪ leaning to right First stroke of GEN close to GEN leaning to left outer rim 24,1 mm/3,0 g 24,8 mm/3,6 g 25,0 mm/3,4 g 24,6 mm/3,3 g Genhō Tsūhō 元豊通寶 Cursive script

24,5 mm/3,3 g

Genhō Tsūhō 元豊通寶 Seal script

Broken first stroke of GEN 24,4 mm/3,0 g 24,5 mm/3,2 g Shōfu Genhō 祥符元寶

24,0 mm/3,1 g

Tensei Genhō 天聖元 寶 24,7 mm/3,4 g Kayū Tsūhō 嘉祐通寶 24,1 mm/3,6 g

Shōsei Genhō 紹聖元寶 Seal script

24,4 mm/3,6 g Kinei Genhō 寧元寶 Kinei Genhō 熙 Seal script熙寧元寶

24,0 mm/2,7 g 24,0 mm/3,0 g

Jihei Genhō 治平元寶 seal script

24,0 mm/2,6 g Pattern > Value 2 Genhō Tsūhō and other types mentioned in Kosen to Shihei 古銭と紙幣 and Honpō Bita-sen Zufu 本邦 鐚銭 図譜

came never into circulation extremely rare

Tall Gen 元

Thick characters, TSŪ with two dots, wide outer rim Small script plump characters TSŪ with two dots, different Chin 王尒 of HŌ 寶

Kayū Genhō Seisō Genhō Seiwa Tsūhō 嘉祐元寶 聖宋元寶 政和通寶

Designed by Andrey Nemchinov, 2018