Basic Information on Hōei Mituho Chōgin

| Item | Content | |---|---| | Mint Year | Hōei 7 (1710) | | Silver Purity | 32% | | Mark | Called Mituho due to three occurrences of the kanji "宝" | | Shape | Namako-shaped weighed silver currency | Although minted in the same year as Eiji Chōgin, the silver purity is 8 points lower. Source of silver purity: Bank of Japan Currency Museum Permanent Exhibition Catalog https://www.imes.boj.or.jp/cm/collection/tenjizuroku/mod/book/pageindices/index49.html

Positioning among the Four Types of Chōgin in the Hōei Period

During the Hōei period, four types of chōgin were issued over just five years from Hōei 3 (1706) to Shōtoku 1 (1711), with a gradual reduction in silver purity. | Name | Mint Year | Silver Purity | |---|---|---| | Hōei Nituho Chōgin | Hōei 3 (1706) | 50% | | Hōei Eiji Chōgin | Hōei 7 (1710) | 40% | | Hōei Mituho Chōgin | Hōei 7 (1710) | 32% | | Hōei Yotuho Chōgin | Shōtoku 1 (1711) | 20% | The Hōei Mituho Chōgin covered on this page has a silver purity of 32%. The others are Hōei Nituho Chōgin (50%), Hōei Eiji Chōgin (40%), and Hōei Yotuho Chōgin (20%). When collectively referred to as "Hōei Chōgin", purities might be confused. For the overall history, see Hōei Chōgin (General Theory).

Identification and Precautions

Called Mituho due to three occurrences of the kanji "宝". The chōgin of the Hōei period have a similar "namako shape" appearance, and the type cannot be determined without checking the mark. As silver purity decreases, the copper ratio increases, resulting in a darker surface tone and a tendency to develop tarnish or verdigris over time. However, changes also vary significantly depending on storage conditions, so type cannot be determined by tone alone. Weighed silver currency lacks a fixed standard, and individual differences are assumed, making it difficult to ascertain type by weight. For primary verification of authenticity, see How to Identify Counterfeits.

About the Market Price

The sales data collected from flea markets and online auctions by this site does not have identifiable transactions for Hōei Mituho Chōgin. Therefore, there is currently no basis for indicating a specific price range. The criteria for inclusion and exclusion in our data aggregation are published in Calculation Method of Market Data. For actual conditions, inquire with specialized old coin dealers.