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.


江戶 琉球通寶半朱

物件編號: A12

年代: 公元 1862 年

尺寸:  42.9 x 3.3 mm

重量: 32.3 g

材質:

來源: 福君錢幣 2023

此硬幣為日本江戶末期,公元1862年薩摩藩篆書為字體,鑄造正面為鍄錄通寶」(Ryō-roku Tsuho),即意指「琉球通寶」的日本漢字。硬幣背面寫有「半朱」面額,右下方稍有裂縫。掌管薩摩藩的島津家經幕府許可,以該貨幣跟南邊的琉球王國貿易。但該貨幣僅實際流通於九州本土,未曾在原先設想的琉球地區使用。

公元15世紀初,位處東亞要衝之地的琉球群島,形成以首里城(那霸)為中心的統一王國,並且奉中國的明朝為宗主國,成為東亞朝貢體系的一員,即便清朝取代明朝後也未改變。但公元1609年,日本的薩摩藩向琉球發動戰爭,使得薩摩藩成為琉球實際的宗主國。最終時值明治維新的日本,先將「琉球王國」貶為「琉球藩」。公元1874年日本以琉球漁民為台灣原住民殺害,即「牡丹社事件」迫使清廷承認日本對琉球的控制。公元1879年,日本政府將琉球改制為沖繩縣,正式宣示琉球王國的獨立走入歷史。

更多相關訊息請參考:

https://storystudio.tw/article/gushi/okinawa-ryukyu-suigusiku

https://xn--1sq5l29g5ufyzmdp9e.com/anasen/ryukyu_tuho_hanju

https://coin-walk.site/J082.htm

https://bunka.nii.ac.jp/heritages/detail/445755

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