Tokugawa monetary system

Tokugawa Mints, Offices, and Marks

Kinza, Ginza, Goto-family authority, and Zeniza networks describe different administrative and production arrangements.

徳川の座・鋳造所・極印Tokugawa za and marks

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Core routes: 14
Issue studies: 12
Recoinage records: 21
Local status: Published

Context

Historical and monetary setting

Tokugawa production moved among offices, hereditary specialists, and contracted sites rather than following one permanent modern-mint model.

Identification

How to classify the object

Marks support attribution only when their form, placement, fabric, metal, and issue context agree.

Evidence boundary

What this page does not claim

Office names and marks do not independently prove a mint, date, or authenticity.

Production

Offices, specialists, and licensed networks

gold Kinza gold office

Supervision and manufacture of ordinary Tokugawa gold coinage through authorized personnel.

Edo

silver Ginza silver office

Administration of silver coinage; physical manufacture was concentrated in Edo and Kyoto and then in Edo from 1800.

Edo · Kyoto · Osaka · Nagasaki

gold Goto family

Hereditary production and marking authority associated especially with Oban and official gold work.

Kyoto · Edo

copper Zeniza licensed cash-mint networks

Licensed and contracted production networks for copper-alloy and iron cash; not one permanent modern mint.

multiple contracted sites

Marks as evidence

Goto ink signature and kao

An attribution feature requiring specialist comparison; presence alone does not authenticate an Oban.

Paulownia crest punches

Official-style punches whose form and placement must match the named issue.

Silver era or character mark

A diagnostic character used with fabric, stamps, and fineness context to separate recoinage families.

Cash-coin calligraphy and reverse marks

Attribution evidence that must be evaluated with metal, dimensions, casting, and production context.

Continue

Related Edo references

Oban Large-Format Gold Chogin and Mameitagin Kanei Tsuho Cash Coinage

Evidence

Sources and scope

These links support the claims on this page. Source authority does not imply permission to republish source images.

Oban and the Goto Family Bank of Japan Currency Museum

Oban fineness changes and Goto-family production context.

Open source

Later Edo Silver and Ginza Offices Bank of Japan Currency Museum

Shotoku through Ansei silver fineness, denominated silver, and Ginza locations.

Open source

Edo Copper and Iron Coinage Bank of Japan Currency Museum

Kanei Tsuho copper, iron, brass four-mon, Tempo Tsuho, and mint-network chronology.

Open source