Kutsuki Masatsuna's collection of East Asian coins

Journal of East Asian Cultures 2022/1: 45–61, 2022

(ENG) This paper aims to investigate the origins of ancient coins of Japan (until the 10th century CE), introduce the characteristics of their design and patterns, and examine their role in early Japanese culture and public administration, while briefly introducing the ancient Chinese coins that served as inspiration. Japan adopted numerous ancient Chinese cultural practices during the Asuka and Nara periods (538-794 CE). Especially from the second half of the 7th century to the 8th century CE, Japan introduced various social systems from the Tang dynasty in order to build a centralised government. Japanese nobles recognised the importance of metallic currency, leading to some silver and bronze coin production at the second half of the 7th century CE, including that of Mumon Ginsen and Fuhonsen coins. Scholars believe that they were modelled after ancient Chinese coins. The mintage was regarded as an essential tool for the Japanese government to display the independence and the authority of the nation, both inside and outside the country. The system of the first official imperial currency (Kōchōsen) was introduced to Japan in the early 8th century CE and inspired by the Kāiyuán Tōngbǎo cash coins of the Tang dynasty. The oldest known official Japanese imperial coinage is the Wadō Kaichin. In the second half of the 8th century CE, the national currency was reformed, and silver and gold cash coins were introduced. However, by the end of the 10th century CE, Japan subsequently suspended the mintage and circulation of coins.

2014

Inspired by the Catalogue of the Japanese Coin Collection (pre-Meiji) at the British Museum (2010) and based on the Bibliographic Sources on p. vi of this publication, this new bibliography includes all titles listed in the Bibliographic Sources, plus a few more recent titles. Compiled by Edward Welch and Helen Wang, and revised by Yoshiko Yasumura.

Rivista Degli Studi Orientali, 2021

Celestino Schiaparelli’s collection of East Asian coins, now housed in the Udine City Museum, numbers 185 items. Originally stored in a coin cabinet (along with his Islamic and Medi- terranean coins), they reflect Schiaparelli’s curiosity for East Asian numismatics. The coins originate from China, Japan, Vietnam and Korea, and they cover a period of 2,000 years from the second cen- tury before the Common Era to 1883. Handwritten labels accompanying the coins may have been added in Schiaparelli’s time. These provide some identification, although they are at times mislead- ing. This paper focuses on the most interesting coins of the collection, among which are a relatively large group from the Xin dynasty (9-23 CE), a coin from the Mi-ñag kingdom (1038-1227) inscribed in the Tangut language, as well as a trilingual coin from the Aksu mint (Xinjiang province) inscribed with Chinese, Manchu and Uyghur scripts. Some amulets are also discussed and a brief discussion of the numismatic references available in Schiaparelli’s time is provided. Lastly, Schiaparelli’s collec- tion is compared to other Western collections of the period, and in particular to the collection of James Legge (1815-1897), Professor of Chinese at the University of Oxford.

International Journal of Asian Studies, 2010

In the currency system of early modern Japan, concurrent with gold coins and silver ingots issued under monopoly by the Tokugawa shogunal government from the beginning of its rule, in 1636 a new standard for copper coins was introduced with theKan'ei tsūhō寛永通宝, and subsequently a three-currency system spread throughout the country. Prior to that, no central Japanese authority had issued its own copper currency since the ancient imperial court discontinued minting coins bearing its own era-names in the tenth century. In the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century, imitation Chinese Song copper coins minted domestically, known askyōsen京銭, played an indispensable role in interregional payments, while separate regional coinages circulated in many of the feudal domains. Imitation Song coins from Japan were also in such strong demand in Southeast Asia that merchants Japanese as well as foreign made large profits by exporting them. The decision to mint theKan'ei tsūhōarose in ...

Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins A Catalogue of Coins From the American Numismatic Society by David Jongeward and Joe Cribb with Peter Donovan, 2015

Kushan, Kushano-Sasanian, and Kidarite Coins: The Kushan Empire was a vast inland empire that stretched across Central and South Asia during the first to fourth centuries AD. The origins of Kushan dynasty continue to be debated, and precise dates, especially for the late Kushan kings, remain elusive, but the coinage reveals the Kushan dynasty as a major force in the cultural and political history of the ancient Silk Road. Kushan coinage began c. AD 50 with issues of the first Kushan king, Kujula Kadphises (c. AD 50–90). The first Kushan coins were based on Greek, Scythian and Parthian coin designs already current in the territory of present day Afghanistan and Pakistan. Under Kujula Kadphises’ son Wima Takto (c. AD 91–113) and grandson Wima Kadphises (c. AD 113–127) the coinage system was gradually centralized to serve the entire Kushan empire, stretching from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to northern India. Gold and copper denominations were established during the reign of Wima Kadphises which were maintained through the reigns of ten more kings until the demise of the Kushan empire in the mid-fourth century AD. This catalogue presents all the Kushan coins in the American Numismatic Society, with selected illustrations, detailed descriptions and commentary. The production system of Kushan coinage is presented with major revisions of chronology and organization compared with previous publications. This presentation has been based on the latest coin-based research, including die studies and site find analysis. The coins are classified by ruler, metal, mint, production phase, denomination, type and variety. Introductory essays present the historical and cultural contexts of the kings and their coins. All the ANS gold coins and a selection of copper coins are illustrated. This catalogue also features two series of coins issued by the Kushano- Sasanian and the Kidarite Hun rulers of former Kushan territory because they followed and adapted the Kushan coinage system. The authors intend this catalogue to be a tool for scholars and collectors alike for understanding, identifying ,and attributing these fascinating coins that represent four centuries of Central and South Asian ancient history.

Ancient Pakistan, 2009

The National Museum of Pakistan possesses a good collection of copper coins of the Kushan period. This collection contams ninety one coins of Kanishka I. Moreover, there are three gold coins of Kanishka in the same collection which are already published by the author along with other gold coins (Khan 2009). The copper coins of Kanishka are comparatively common and found in every public museum and private collection in Pakistan. These coins are usually known by their uniform design having standing fi gu re of king on the obverse and fi gu re of deity on the reverse. The early coins are inscribed with Greek legend and later with Bactrian. The legend is found on both sides; depicting name and title of the king on the obverse and name of deity on the reverse. The copper coins are known to have struck in three denominations i.e. large (tetradrachm, medium (didrachm) and small (drachm) units. These coins unanimously bear four-pronged tamga, modified version of Wima Kadphises tamga, on the reverse and on some examples it appears on the obverse too. The obverse of small coins also exhibit Kharo�\hi letter in the left field. Some pieces of small denominations bearing Kharo�\hi letters on obverse also show figure of king seated on a throne. Previous Classification of Kanishka Copper Coins The coins of this ruler, identified as Kanerki or Kanerkou, were first properly arranged in the form of a catalogue by Wilson. He placed them after the coins of Wima Kadphises (Wilson 1841: 357-373). In this arrangement the gold coins were organized first, followed by the copper, and the copper were classified as: 1. The good looking middle size coins depicting Greek legend BACIAEYC BACIAEWN KANHl>KOY (Basileos Basileon Kanishkou) on the obverse with two reverse varieties i.e. (a) Helios and (b) Nanaia. 2. Small coins with two reverse varieties (a) Nana and (b) Mao. 3. Large, medium and small coins depicting legend (Bactrian) I>AO KANHI>KI (shao Kanishki) on the obverse with seven reverse varieties i.e. (a) Nana, (b) Mao, (c) Miiro, (d) Athro (Athsho), (e) Okro (Oesho), (f) Oado and (g) Okama oao (Sakamao Boddou). Percy Gardner, in his catalogue of coins in the British Museum, generally followed the above scheme of classification but arranged Kanishka's coins in more elaborate sequence (Gardner 1886: 129-35, pis. XXVI­ VII). Accordingly the gold and copper coins are organized in four major groups and the deities are placed by their names in alphabetical order. The first two groups (gold and copper) are based on Greek legend and the later two (gold and copper) on Bactrian legend such as: Group 1. Gold coins: the obverse depicting standing figure of king and is inscribed with Greek legend BAOAEYC BAOAEWN KANHl>KOY and with a single reverse variety, (a) Salene. Group 2. Copper coins: as group 1, but with two reverse varieties, (a) Helios and (b) Nanaia. Group 3. Gold coins: the obverse is inscribed with Bactrian legend I>AONANO I>AO KANHl>KI KOI>ANO and it has eleven reverse varieties with standing figure of the king on the obverse and two reverse varieties with bust portrait of king on the obverse.

From Constantinople to Chang’an. Byzantine Gold Coins in the World of Late Antiquity. Papers Read at the International Conference in Changchun, China, 23-26 June, 2017, 277-314., 2021

Byzantine gold coinage was immensely important in the political, social, and cultural life of the Near East and the Western Mediterranean during Late Antiquity and into the Middle Ages. Its significance can be judged from archaeological finds in Italy and Gaul as well as the Balkans, the Levant, and Northern Africa. Furthermore, from the 4th century onwards, Byzantine coins begin to appear along the Silk Roads, soon to be taken to countries in the Far East, including China. Since the end of the 19th century, over one hundred Byzantine gold coins and coin imitations have been found in China. The findspots are mainly located in the northern areas, in a crescent extending from Xinjiang in the northwest to the province of Liaoning in the northeast. Chronologically, they mainly belong to a period from the late 6th century to the mid-8th century, i.e., from the late Northern Dynasties to the middle of the Tang Dynasty period, and they reflect the prosperity, exchange, and communication which once existed along the Silk Roads. The international symposium on "Byzantine Gold Coins in the World of Late Antiquity," held at the Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations (IHAC) of Northeast Normal University (NENU), Changchun, China, 23-26 June 2017, aimed at delineating the political, economic, social, and cultural-religious conditions behind the flow of Byzantine gold coins not only into China but also within the broader Mediterranean region, into India, Central Asia, and Mongolia, as well as Southeast Asia. Even though some of the papers should be seen as very preliminary considerations on the respective subjects, all the investigations of specific coins in this volume contribute to the current development of building a more integrated and multifaceted picture of the world of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. We express our heartfelt thanks to all colleagues, students, and friends who have supported the symposium and its publication in various ways. Our special thanks are due to Dr. Rebecca Darley, Dr. Jonathan Jarrett, and Prof. Dr. David A. Warburton for their painstaking review of drafts of papers.