Item number: A2837

Year: AD 1784-1788

Material: Iron

Size: 21.6 x 21.3 x 0.9 mm

Weight: 2.25 g

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2020

This is an iron coin known as the Sendai Tsūhō, issued during Japan’s Edo period between Tenmei 4 and Tenmei 8 (AD 1784–1788). It was minted by the powerful daimyō of the Sendai Domain, who governed the Tōhoku region of northeastern Japan, with official authorisation from the Edo shogunate for circulation within their territory.

The coin has a notably coarse texture and is shaped as a square with rounded corners, featuring a central square hole for stringing. On the obverse, the inscription is engraved in Japanese kanji characters in the order of top, bottom, right, and left, reading “仙臺通寶” (Sendai Tsūhō). The reverse side is plain, without any inscription or decorative motif.

The Sendai Domain was governed by the Date clan, one of the most powerful tozama daimyō (outside lords) during the Edo period, with extensive territories and significant influence. Under its administration, the city of Ishinomaki served as a crucial minting centre in the Tōhoku region, producing large quantities of Kan’ei Tsūhō coins that circulated widely throughout Japan during the Edo period.

In AD 1782, the northeastern region of Japan was struck by severe cold weather and volcanic eruptions, triggering the Tenmei Great Famine, one of the four major famines of the Edo period. This calamity had a devastating impact on the finances of the Sendai Domain. In response, with official authorisation from the shogunate in AD 1784, the Sendai Domain hastily issued the Sendai Tsūhō for use within its territory.

However, the quality of the Sendai Tsūhō coins was notably poor, contributing to inflation. Some unscrupulous merchants even transported these coins beyond the borders of the Sendai Domain for circulation, exacerbating economic instability.

物件編號: A2837

年代: 公元 1784-1788 年

材質: 鐵

尺寸: 21.6 x 21.3 x 0.9 mm

重量: 2.25 g

來源: 福君錢幣 2020

這是一枚日本江戶時期，於天明4至8年 (公元1784至1788年)之間，統領日本東北地區的重要大名仙臺藩得到江戶幕府的許可，於其領地內流通使用的「仙臺通寶」鐵錢。

錢幣的質地十分粗糙，外觀為帶有圓角的正方形，正中央有一個穿繫用的方孔。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左順序，依序以日本漢字鐫刻「仙臺通寶」四字。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何文字或是圖案。

仙臺藩由外樣大名伊達家統治，其領土和實力為江戶時期首屈一指的重要大名。仙臺藩下轄的石卷更是東北地區重要的鑄幣廠，鑄造許多江戶時期普遍流通的寬永通寶。公元1782年，日本東北地區受到寒害和火山爆發的影響，發生江戶時期四大飢荒之一的「天明大飢荒」，對於仙臺藩的財政產生嚴重衝擊。因此公元1784年，得到幕府許可的仙臺藩立即鑄造在藩內流通的「仙臺通寶」。不過仙臺通寶的質量非常糟糕，甚至引發通貨膨脹，更有一些不肖的商人將其帶出仙臺藩的領地使用。