Kaiki Shoho

Kaiki Shōhō (開基勝宝) is an early form of Japanese currency that was issued in 760 (Tenpyō-hōji 4) during the Nara period.

[2] "Kaiki Shoho" in particular were minted on the order of Daijō-daijin Fujiwara no Nakamaro, who was leading the government at the time.

[3] Based on historical sources and archaeological evidence, Kaiki Shoho were probably not widely distributed.

[1][4] Anthropologist Neil Gordon Munro remarked that Kaiki Shoho was intended to be the "pioneer of a gold currency".

It was noted in 1903 by "The Japan Weekly Mail" that this unique coin "left only a host of conjectures" on its origin.