JAPAN

Coin

1⁄16 Ryō

"Bunsei Nanryō Isshugin"

(1829-1837)

・1⁄16 Ryō "Bunsei Nanryō Isshugin"

■ Overview

　1⁄16 Ryō “Bunsei Nanryō Isshugin” was a small-denomination silver coin issued in the late Edo period. It was introduced to improve convenience in everyday transactions.

• Name: Bunsei Nanryō Isshugin (Bunsei Nanryō 1 Shu Silver) 

• Denomination: 1 Shu (＝1/16 Ryō) 

• First issued: 1824 (Bunsei 7) 

• Material: Silver 

• Shape: Small rectangular form 

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■ Historical Background

　From the late 18th century onward,

2 Shu silver coins (Ko-Nanryō and Shin-Nanryō) were widely circulated.

　However:

• They were not convenient for small payments 

• Finer denominations were needed 

　To address this, the shogunate introduced the Bunsei Nanryō Isshugin, a silver coin denominated in 1 Shu units.

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■ Characteristics and Function

1. A Coin for Small Transactions

　With a value of 1 Shu (＝1/16 Ryō), this coin was well suited for everyday purchases such as food and daily goods.

→ A practical currency closely tied to common people’s economic life

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2. A Fixed-Denomination Silver Coin

　Like the 2 Shu Nanryō coins, its value was determined by denomination rather than weight.

→ This made calculations and exchanges much simpler

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3. Quality as Nanryō Silver

　As a type of “Nanryō silver,” it originally had relatively high silver content.

　However, as time progressed, the silver quality gradually declined.

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■ Design

• Obverse: 

o Inscription such as “Isshu Gin” (1 Shu Silver) 

• Reverse: 

o Official stamps or mint marks 

The design is simple and functional.

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■ Relationship with Other Nanryō Coins

　The Bunsei Nanryō Isshugin functioned as a complementary coin to the 2 Shu pieces:

• 2 Shu (1/8 Ryō): medium-value transactions 

• 1 Shu (1/16 Ryō): small-value transactions 

　Together, they provided a more flexible monetary system.

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■ Economic Significance

　The introduction of this coin contributed to:

• Smoother small-scale transactions 

• Further development of the market economy 

• Wider adoption of the gold-based unit system (Ryō, Bu, Shu) 

International shipping

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