Shu (silver coin)

Attempts to fix the exchange rate between gold and silver coins started with the issuance of Five Momme Gin (五匁銀) on September 4, 1765.

All of these factors led to an inconvenient coin that did not largely circulate, which caused the Kanjō bugyō to issue orders to the accounting magistrate to redeem five monme silver for koban.

[5][6] The specifications for the Bunsei Ichishu Gin was a coin weighing 2.62 grams with an alloy of 98.95% silver, 0.14% gold, and 0.91% miscellaneous material.

Two Shu silver (二朱銀) coins were first minted during the Meiwa to Bunsei eras between 1772 and 1824, and are referred to as Nanryō ni Shugin (南鐐二朱銀).

[12] While the decision by government officials (Kanjō bugyō) to begin minting these coins in 1772 clearly had to do with profits through seigniorage, they might have also been motivated by aggressive economic measures undertaken during the time.