Digital museum showcasing the collection of worldwide legends over the years! 千古不朽博物館展示多年來收藏的世界傳奇故事！
Edo period Ryukyu Tsuho half Zhu
Item number: A12
Year: AD 1862
Size: 42.9 x 3.3 mm
Weight: 32.3 g
Material: Copper
Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2023
This coin dates back to the late Edo period in Japan, specifically in AD 1862. It was minted by the Satsuma Domain using seal script on the obverse side, bearing the inscription “鍄錄通寶” (Ryō-roku Tsuho), which translates to “Ryukyu Tsuho” in Japanese. On the reverse side, there is an inscription indicating the value: “半朱” (half Zhu), with a slight crack on the lower right corner of the coin.
The Satsuma Domain, under the authority of the Shimazu clan, obtained permission from the shogunate to engage in trade with the Ryukyu Kingdom using this currency. However, it was primarily circulated in Kyushu and did not see significant use in the originally intended Ryukyu region.
In the early 15th century, the Ryukyu Islands, strategically located in East Asia, formed a unified kingdom with Shuri Castle (located in Naha) as its center. The kingdom acknowledged Ming China as its suzerain state, participating in the East Asian tribute system, which persisted even after the Ming Dynasty was replaced by the Qing Dynasty. However, in AD 1609, the Satsuma Domain of Japan waged war against Ryukyu, leading to Satsuma becoming the de facto suzerain state. With the onset of the Meiji Restoration in Japan, the Ryukyu Kingdom was demoted to the status of “Ryukyu Domain” in the late 19th century.
In AD 1874, the Japanese government leveraged the “Mudan Incident,” during which Ryukyuan fishermen were killed by indigenous people in Taiwan, as a pretext. This incident effectively coerced the Qing Dynasty into recognizing Japanese control over Ryukyu. In AD 1879, the Japanese government officially reorganized Ryukyu as Okinawa Prefecture, marking the formal end of the independent Ryukyu Kingdom.
