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Japan Ansei Nishu Gin
日本 安政二朱銀
Item number: A375
Year: AD 1859
Material: Silver
Size: 27.9 x 16.5 x 2.9 mm
Weight: 13.6 g
Provenance:
1. Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This item is an Ansei Nishu Gin minted at Ginza in AD 1859. The obverse bears three Chinese characters “二朱銀,” translated as “2 Shu Silver,” surrounded by a pearl border. On the reverse side, five Chinese characters appear: “定銀座常是.” Here, “銀座 (Ginza)” denotes the official Ginza Mint, while “常是” refers to “大黒常是 (Daikoku Jōze/Tsuneze),” the hereditary family position responsible for overseeing seal forging at the Ginza mint. The character “定” functions as an official stamp indicating quality supervision by the Jōze.
The district name “Ginza” originated from the Ginza Yakusho, a governmental office established during the Edo period. In AD 1603, Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo Shogunate, relocated the silver coin mint from Sunpu to its current location in Ginza 2-Chome. Initially designated as Shin-ryogae-cho (“new money exchange town”), it eventually became colloquially known as “Ginza.” The Ginza personnel gathered to handle official duties such as procuring silver bullion or submitting silver coins to the Shogunate. Concurrently, the location for gold dealings, known as “Kinza,” was situated at the present site of the Bank of Japan head office in Nihonbashi.
Due to its exclusive rights in handling silver, the Ginza Yakusho generated substantial profits, leading to prosperity among its bureaucrats, albeit marred by instances of bribery. In 1800, following various corruption cases, Ginz operations were relocated to Kakigara-cho in Nihonbashi; however, the name Ginza persisted.
Ginza also housed “Shuza” (for cinnabar handling), “Obanza” (authorized to mint gold coins for ceremonial use), and “Fundoza” (producing standard weights and storing ingots for coin production).
The title “Daikoku Jōze” can be traced back to AD 1601 when Tokugawa Ieyasu bestowed this name upon Yuasa Sakubei, a silversmith from Nanryoza in Sakai, Izumi. The name “Jōze” had been conferred upon silversmiths from Nanryoza in Sakai by Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
The Jōze was responsible for stamping and enveloping chogin and mameita gin. These enveloped silver coins were called Jōzetsutsumi(常是包), distinguishing them from envelopes used by money changers. Jōze distinguished himself from the Ginza personnel and identified as the Ginza Sochu. Stamped with marks like “Daikoku,” “Jōze,” or “Takara” by Jōze, the cast ingots underwent rigorous testing for fineness through sampling supervised by Jōze.
The issuance of Ansei Nishu gin, commencing on June 25, AD 1859, aimed to prevent the outflow of koban ahead of the opening of Yokohama Port per the Japan-U.S. Treaty. Dubbed Boeki Nishu for international trade, these coins, despite their size, held half the face value of smaller ichibu-gin.
Following the arrival of Commodore Perry’s Black Ships in AD 1853, Japan’s Edo bakufu was compelled to negotiate port access, leading to discussions on exchange rates with Western currencies from AD 1854. Despite debates overvaluation, including the worth of the U.S. dollar and Japanese silver coins like Tenpo Chogin, agreement initially eluded both parties.
Black Ships: The name given to Western vessels arriving in Japan in the 16th and 19th centuries, also called 黒船 or Kurofune. 1. In the 16th century, Portuguese Carracks that went to Japan for trade, had the hull painted black with pitch, hence the name. 2. In the 19th century, warships of the United States Navy that went to Japan to force the trade with the west, had coal-fired steam engines that belched black smoke, hence the name.
Tensions escalated until AD 1856, culminating in Townsend Harris’ advocacy for fair exchange rates based on equivalent weights. Subsequently, Ansei koban and Nishu gin coins were minted; however, their limited circulation and foreign policy challenges led to their withdrawal after a brief period, underscoring broader economic repercussions.