Keichō Chōgin
慶長丁銀（Keichō chōgin） ・ aka: 慶長銀
- Series
- Chōgin (silver by weight)
- Denomination
- No face value (weighed currency)
- Period
- Minting began 1601 (Keichō 6)
Updated: 2026-09-02
Canonical Specifications
| Item | Value | Type | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fineness (museum catalog) | 80% / 1601年 | Catalog value | [1] |
| Weight | 定めなし（秤量貨幣） | Historical source | [3] |
FACTThe Currency Museum catalog lists 80% silver fineness (rounded) and the year 1601.[1]
FACTChōgin carried no face value and changed hands by weight. The Bank of Japan's history notes that the later Meiwa Gomonmegin was introduced as "counted money of fixed silver quantity" — the chōgin being its weighed-currency counterpart.[3]
Visual Identification
INTERPRETATIONThe types and placement of hallmarks (the "Jōze" stamp, Daikoku figures, etc.) are not yet confirmed in the text of the primary sources this record consults. Identification detail will be added together with provenance-verified images.
Historical Context & Fineness Lineage
FACTSilver coinage was produced by the ginza; Daikoku Jōze, appointed by Tokugawa Ieyasu, oversaw silver production, and his house served for generations as the ginza's assayer and inspector of silver (museum catalog).[1]
FACTFineness fell from 80% (Keichō) to 64% (Genroku), then through the Hōei issues — Futatsuhō 50%, Eiji 40%, Mitsuhō 32%, Yotsuhō 20% — before the Shōtoku recoinage (1714) restored 80%.[1],[2]
FACTComparing the first (Keichō) and last (Ansei) chōgin, the silver contained in the same weight fell to about one-sixth (museum catalog).[1]
Manufacturing
INTERPRETATIONSpecific production steps (casting finish, hammering, etc.) are not confirmed in the sources this record consults and are therefore not stated. We do not fill in the process by conjecture.
Authentication Cautions
INTERPRETATIONAs weighed currency, individual variation is large; no single feature is known to prove authenticity. Third-party grades assess condition, not historical attribution.
Known Scholarly Issues
INTERPRETATIONHallmark taxonomy, weight distribution, and mintage are unconfirmed in the consulted sources; they will be added with citations as they are verified.
Auction Records
No auction records confirmed for this exact coin type yet. Category-wide median prices are not shown as if they were prices for this type. Once confirmed, records will be listed here with auction house, sale, date, lot, grade, realized price (hammer vs. total), source URL, and review date.
References
- [1]「貨幣博物館 常設展示図録（江戸の銀貨・丁銀）」（日本銀行金融研究所 貨幣博物館） — https://www.imes.boj.or.jp/cm/collection/tenjizuroku/mod/book/pageindices/index49.html（accessed: 2026-09-02）
- [2]「貨幣博物館 常設展示図録（江戸の銀貨・後期丁銀）」（日本銀行金融研究所 貨幣博物館） — https://www.imes.boj.or.jp/cm/collection/tenjizuroku/mod/book/pageindices/index50.html（accessed: 2026-09-02）
- [3]「日本貨幣史（本文）」（日本銀行金融研究所 貨幣博物館） — https://www.imes.boj.or.jp/cm/history/content/index.html（accessed: 2026-09-02）