Musashi Sumigaki
Koban Kin
(武蔵墨書小判金)

(Ginza Coins Collection, Tokyo. Reproduction authorized. © All rights reserved.)

The Musashi Sumigaki Koban Kin is a gold coin valued at 1 ryō, similar to the Keichō Koban in both size and weight. Its minting is datable to the fourth or fifth year of the Bunroku era (1595–1596), a crucial period during which Tokugawa Ieyasu established his power in Edo and consolidated control over the surrounding provinces. It is plausible that this coin was intended to facilitate trade within the territories under his direct influence. The production is attributed to the Gotō family, a renowned dynasty of artisans specializing in the crafting of precious metals for official purposes. In particular, Gotō Shōzaburō Mitsutsugu, who was sent to Edo by his predecessor Gotō Tokujo in 1595, strengthened the family’s ties with the emerging Tokugawa government. From an iconographic perspective, the obverse of the coin features a central ink inscription reading “1 Ryō” (壱両), accompanied by a kaō (calligraphic signature), the name “Musashi” (武蔵) on the right side, and two Gosan Kiri crests arranged in a fan-like pattern at the top and bottom.