Hakodate (1858) 3.32 momme
This specimen was lot 42452 in Stack's Bowers ANA sale (Oklahoma City, OK, August 2025), where it sold for $33,600. The catalog description[1] noted,
"JAPAN. Japan - United States. Hokkaido. Hakodate. 3.32 Momme, ND (ca. 1858). PCGS VG-10. Individual Japanese numeral countermarks 三 三 二 (3-3-2) in a vertical line applied to the obverse of an 1858-S Seated Liberty Half Dollar from the United States. A VERY RARE short-lived issue with, with Russian and American host coins generally being observed. Despite a fair degree of circulation, this specimen remains incredibly important, with some deeper amber-gray toning in the recesses. The issues from the port of Hakodate were a short-lived one, as they proved to be impractical and inefficient. Each piece was weighed and stamped with the corresponding numbers that, when calculated by 3.75 (Momme), were more than 99% accurate to the weight of the coin at time of striking. This is in accordance with Article V of the Harris Treaty of Amity and Commerce signed at Edo on 29 July 1858. The article states that "...Americans and Japanese may freely use foreign coin in making payments to each other" and that "...all foreign coins shall be current in Japan, and pass for its corresponding weight of Japanese coin of the same description." The known host coins for this issue are Russian: 20 Kopeks, 25 Kopeks, and Ruble; American: Seated Liberty Half Dollars; French: 5 Francs; Mexican: Republican 8 Reales. The Russian 20 and 25 Kopeks appear to be the most "common" from this series, with about 6 known of each, followed by the American Seated Liberty Half Dollars, with about 5 known; all other denominations should be considered extremely rare to unique."
Hakodate is a city on the southern tip of the island of Hokkaido which long served as a Japanese outpost in an Ainu-dominated region. It was not until the Meiji era that the government made a systematic attempt to conquer the whole island, using many of the same tactics that the US government had used against the Amerindians in the nineteenth century.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: host coin 12.44 g, 0.900 fine silver, 30.6 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: KM-Unlisted; JNDA-Unlisted; JC-Unlisted.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- The Catalog of Japanese Coins and Banknotes, Tokyo: JNDA (Japanese Numismatic Dealers Assn.), 2014.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, August 2025 Global Showcase Auction, World & Ancient Coins, featuring The Richard August Collection and the Richard Margolis Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
Link to:
- Japan (1856-60) 2 bu
- Hakodate (1858) 1.36 momme countermarked on a Russia 25 kopeks
- Hakodate (1858) 6.3 momme countermarked on a Russian ruble
- Coins and currency dated 1858