Tenpō Ichibugin
天保一分銀（tenpō ichibugin）
- Series
- Counted silver (ichibugin)
- Denomination
- 1 bu (1/4 ryō)
- Period
- 1837 (Tenpō 8)
Updated: 2026-10-13
Specifications (as confirmed)
Design and inscriptions (collection catalogue image)
FACTIn the image of the Tenpō ichibugin (ⅡA Edo b 24/101) in the Currency Museum's collection catalogue, the rectangular obverse reads 一分銀 (ichibugin), the reverse reads 定 銀座 常是 (Jō, Ginza, Jōze), and both faces are bordered by cherry-blossom motifs (transcribed visually from the image).[4]
Historical Context
FACTAt the opening of the ports it was the counted silver coin circulating in quantity (catalog).[1]
FACTIn 1765 the shogunate issued the Meiwa gomonme-gin, a counted coin denominated in silver that was exchanged for gold at the official rate (1 ryō of gold = 60 monme of silver), and in 1772 the Meiwa nanryō nishu-gin, a counted coin denominated in gold units. Helped by measures to promote circulation such as active lending to money changers, counted silver coins came into nationwide circulation in the first half of the 19th century (Currency Museum, Nihon Kahei-shi).[3]
FACTTo make up for its fiscal distress the shogunate carried out the Bunsei recoinage (from 1818) and the Tenpō recoinage (from 1832), which led to a rise in prices (Currency Museum, Nihon Kahei-shi).[3]
FACTThe exhibition catalogue records that, after halting the Ansei nishu-gin (June 1859, 85% fine), the shogunate melted down foreign silver dollars and issued the Ansei ichibugin (August 1859, 87% fine) for exchanging them (catalog).[1]
Holdings (Currency Museum)
FACTThe Currency Museum's collection catalogue lists 4 items as Tenpō ichibugin (ⅡA Edo b 24/101, 24/102, 24/201 and 24/290).[4]
Open Items
INTERPRETATIONSearch-result extracts suggest the Mint Museum guide (April 2025, PDF) lists the weight and fineness of the Tenpō Ichibugin as precise per-mille figures, but the original has not been read directly (the host refuses our requests and the Wayback copy is truncated). The figures will be added to Specifications once confirmed and are withheld until then (owner ruling 2026-10-14 §1).[5]
INTERPRETATIONMintage, surviving numbers, dimensions and the classification of varieties are not yet confirmed in the sources consulted for this record. They will be added as they are confirmed.
Auction Records
No auction records confirmed for this exact type yet. Prices for the broader category are not shown as this type's prices. Confirmed records will be listed here.
References
- [1]「貨幣博物館 常設展示図録（開港と金貨流出）」（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/index70.html（accessed: 2026-10-13）表: 天保一分銀 1837年 品位99%／安政二朱銀 1859年6月 85%／安政一分銀 1859年8月 87%。「開港当時大量に流通していた計数銀貨」。取得文 /home/comboy/.agent/workspace/current/ittendou-a045-sources/03_imes-zuroku_p39-41-52-67_keisu-gin.txt
- [2]「貨幣博物館 常設展示図録（両替屋と金銀銭の相場）」（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/index39.html（accessed: 2026-10-13）公定相場（1700年）の表: 金貨（計数貨幣）1両＝4分＝16朱、1765年〜 計数銀貨 一分銀4枚・二朱銀8枚・一朱銀16枚
- [3]「日本貨幣史」（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: 2026-10-13）近世「定量銀貨・計数銀貨の登場」「文政・天保の改鋳」。取得文 /home/comboy/.agent/workspace/current/ittendou-a045-sources/04_imes-history-content.txt
- [4]「所蔵資料目録「図録日本の貨幣」 天保一分銀（ⅡAエドb 24/101・24/102・24/201・24/290）」（日本銀行金融研究所 貨幣博物館） — https://www.imes.boj.or.jp/cm/research/nihonkahei_4/001001/001/699_101/html/index.html（accessed: 2026-10-13）目録は資料名・資料番号・画像だけで、年・法量・品位の記載は無い。画像 2a_edo_b24_101.jpg の文字は目視で翻字（表「一分銀」・裏「定 銀座 常是」・桜花の縁）。写し /home/comboy/.agent/workspace/current/ittendou-daily-autopublish-2026-10-13/round3-a046-2026-10-13/evidence/
- [5]「造幣博物館のご案内」（造幣局（造幣博物館）） — https://www.mint.go.jp/media/2025/04/202504_hakubutsukan_goannai.pdf（accessed: 2026-10-13）記載: 天保一分銀 1837(天保8)年 量目:8.6g 品位:銀991/1000。⚠ 2026-10-13 23:10 の取得では mint.go.jp が当サーバーからの要求を 403 で拒み、Wayback Machine の写しも 5MB で途切れて開けなかった。記載値は検索エンジンの抽出文とオーナー提示（2026-10-13）で一致。原本の直接確認は要再試行（確認でき次第この注記を外す） ／ 2026-10-14 17:4x 再試行: 直接取得 403・Wayback（20251108152936）も 5,242,880 bytes で途切れ pdftotext で本文を取れない。精密値は原本確認まで掲載保留（オーナー裁定 §1）。