Metals and metal-working in old Japan . ntury is chiefly remarkable in the annals. ( 30 ) of gold for the first coinage of the metal by the Governmentof Japan. No specimens of gold coins of an earlier date arein existence, and although they are said to have beenoccasionally made in the Daimiate Mints, tradition, usually soprone to refer to remote times all its records, does not ascribeto any a great antiquity. The first Government Mint for thecoinage of gold and silver money was established between1570 and 1580 One of the first issues of this Mint was tl\e Oban, or,specifically, Tensho-ob
Metals and metal-working in old Japan . ntury is chiefly remarkable in the annals. ( 30 ) of gold for the first coinage of the metal by the Governmentof Japan. No specimens of gold coins of an earlier date arein existence, and although they are said to have beenoccasionally made in the Daimiate Mints, tradition, usually soprone to refer to remote times all its records, does not ascribeto any a great antiquity. The first Government Mint for thecoinage of gold and silver money was established between1570 and 1580 One of the first issues of this Mint was tl\e Oban, or,specifically, Tensho-oban, Tensho being the name of thechronological period during which it was made. It is avery large coin in the form of an oval plate measuringnearly seven inches in length and about four inches inbreadth, its average weight being 5*3 troy ounces, and itsaverage composition 73*84 per cent, gold, 24*00 per cent,silver. Its actual value in our money is ;f 16 i6s. 6d. Therewere also smaller coins, which were used for making Fig. 5.—HoMA ^ ^j. In addition to the production of coins, it was always afunction of the Mint to prepare for the Government from timeto time large bars of gold called homa (fig. 5), which were ( 31 )to be kept in the Treasury as a reserve against famine, war, orother calamities. These bars were of the form of an ancientweight, and were approximately of the following dimensions:Length, thirteen inches; breadth, six inches; and thickness, fiveinches. Each of them usually bore an inscription statingthat it must not be used for ordinary expenditure, but only forthe requirements of war or famine. The inscription on somewas, Peace and treasure endure together, meaning that areserve against war is a guarantee of peace. The first record we have of these bars is in the Manji period(1658-1660), when a large number were made from nativegold (gold-dust) for the expenses of the army and defence ofcastles, and for use in calamities. They were also madeduri
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookpublisherlondonsn, booksubjectmetalwork
