Japan (1764-72) 5 momme

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Steve Album sale 51, lot 1366
Steve Album sale 52, lot 1254

The first specimen was lot 1366 in Steve Album Auction 51 (Santa Rosa, CA, January 2025), where it sold for $1,560. The catalog description[1] noted, "JAPAN: Meiwa, 1764-1772, AR 5 momme, wavy symbol in-between a pair of solid and dotted lines on top, moji gin gomonme below on a raised field // joze, hereditary official of the silver mint of the Tokugawa family, on raised field, rims with wave pattern, struck 1765-68, a lovely well-struck example! PCGS graded EF45. These pieces were also called the Tanuma Go Momme Gin. Tanuma was Chief of the Palace Bureau and he authorized the production of this issue. He proclaimed that silver ornaments for personal use were a luxury, and should be confiscated for the purpose of making silver coin. The 5 momme silver was first issued in September 1765 at a rate of 12 pieces being the equivalent of 60 momme of silver. The Gomonme-gin silver coin carried the fixed denomination of "5 monme", and money changers, who had been earning profits from fluctuations of exchange rates in the market, strongly objected to the use of these coins, as the ratio was lower than the market price; as a result, the coin was not welcomed and mostly stayed on the counters of the money exchanges." The second specimen was lot 1254 in Steve Album Auction 52 (Santa Rosa, CA, May 2025), where it sold for $1,680. The catalog description[2] noted, "JAPAN: Meiwa, 1764-1772, AR 5 momme, wavy symbol between a pair of solid and dotted lines on top, moji gin gomonme below on a raised field // joze, hereditary official of the silver mint of the Tokugawa family, on raised field, rims with wave pattern, struck 1765-68, VF-XF."

The dating of hammered and cast coinage of Japan is confusing. The SCWC states that the coins were not necessarily made during the era to which they are marked. Not all the eras have coinage. The SCWC notes the following:

  • Genbun period 1736-41 (used on coinage 1736-1818), emperor was Sakuramachi-tennō (桜町天皇).
  • Meiwa period 1764-72, empress and emperor were Go-Sakuramachi-tennō (後桜町天皇) and Go-Momozono-tennō (後桃園天皇).
  • An'ei period 1772-81, emperors were Go-Momozono-tennō (後桃園天皇) and Kōkaku-tennō (光格天皇).
  • Tenmei period 1781-89, emperor was Kōkaku Tennō' (光格天皇).
  • Kansei period 1789-1801, emperor was Kōkaku-tennō (光格天皇).
  • Kyowa period 1801-04, emperor was Kōkaku-tennō (光格天皇).
  • Bunka period 1804-18, emperors were Kōkaku-tennō (光格天皇) and Ninkō-Tennō (仁孝天皇).
  • Bunsei period 1818-30 (used on coinage 1820-37), emperor was Ninkō-tennō (仁孝天皇).
  • Tempo period 1830-44 (used on coinage 1837-58), emperor was Ninko-tennō (仁孝天皇).
  • Koka period 1844-48, emperors were Ninkō-tennō (仁孝天皇) and Kōmei-tennō (孝明天皇).
  • Kaei period 1848-54 (used on coinage 1853-65), emperor was Kōmei-tennō (孝明天皇).
  • Ansei period 1854-60 (used on coinage 1859-60), emperor was Kōmei-tennō (孝明天皇).
  • Man'en period 1860-61, emperor was Kōmei-tennō (孝明天皇).
  • Bunkyu period 1861-64, emperor was Kōmei-tennō (孝明天皇).
  • Genji period 1864-65, emperor was Kōmei-tennō (孝明天皇).
  • Keio period 1865-68, emperors were Kōmei-tennō (孝明天皇) and Meiji-tennō (明治天皇).
  • Meiji period 1868-1912, emperor was Meiji-tennō (明治天皇), better known to collectors as Mutsuhito.

Milled coinage of the Western type was introduced early in the Meiji era and the cast and hammered coinage discontinued.

Recorded mintage: unknown.

Specifications: 18.75 g, 0.460 fine silver, 45 x 22.5 mm, the first specimen 18.57 g, the second specimen 18.76 g.

Catalog reference: KM 9.70, H-9.70, Cr-10, JNDA-09-46.

Sources:

  • Michael, Thomas, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1701-1800, 7th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2016.
  • The Catalog of Japanese Coins and Banknotes, Tokyo: JNDA (Japanese Numismatic Dealers Assn.), 2014.
  • [1]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Norman Douglas Nicol, Auction 51, featuring the Howard Daniel III Collection of Asian Coins, the Almer H. Orr III Collection of World Coins and the Joe Sedillot Collection of German Coins, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2024.
  • [2]Album, Stephen, Joseph Lang, Paul Montz, Michael Barry and Dustin Wagner, Auction 52, featuring the Dr. Robert A. Rosenfeld Collection and the Almer H. Orr III Collection, Santa Rosa, CA: Stephen Album Rare Coins, Inc., 2025.

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