Yongle coins

A Chinese currency, Yongle Tongbao. A copper coin minted during the Yongle period (1403-24) under the rule of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty. It is also called "Yongle", "Yongsen" or "Yong". Many were imported into Japan around the time of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and were valued as the standard currency from the Muromachi period to the early Edo period. During the Warring States period, the Gohojo clan and other feudal lords in the Kanto region used Yongle coins as the standard for currency use, and as a result, they were especially prized in the Kanto region. At the beginning of the Edo period, the shogunate set the value of 1 ryo of gold at 1 kanmon for Yongle coins and 4 kanmon for bitasen, but banned the use of Yongle coins in 1608 (Keicho 13) (there are differing theories as to the year of the ban). There are imitation Yongle coins made in Japan and the Ming Dynasty. It is also said that Toyotomi Hideyoshi minted gold and silver Yongle coins as rewards, but this is not clear.

[Momose Kesao]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の貨幣、永楽通宝のこと。明(みん)の成祖(せいそ)の治世、永楽年間（1403～24）に鋳造された銅銭。「永楽」「永銭」「永」ともいう。足利義満(あしかがよしみつ)のころからわが国に多く輸入され、室町時代から江戸初期にかけて標準貨幣として重んぜられた。戦国時代に後北条(ごほうじょう)氏をはじめ関東の大名が永楽銭を貨幣使用の基準としたことなどにより、関東地方でとくに珍重された。江戸時代初めに幕府は金1両の比価を永楽銭1貫文、鐚銭(びたせん)4貫文と公定したが、1608年（慶長13）永楽銭の使用を禁止した（禁止の年には異説もある）。永楽銭には、日本および明でつくられた模造銭がある。また豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉は賞賜用に金銀の永楽通宝をつくったというが、明らかではない。

［百瀬今朝雄］

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