Making Material Step 1: Sourced lower-purity gold, which contained unwanted base metals, was mixed with a salt and melted in earthenware bowls in the floor. This process took many hours and separated the dross (such as copper and lead) from...
Koban was a traditional Japanese currency, a gold coin that was used for approximately 260 years from the beginning of the Edo period to the early Meiji period (1601-1867). Kobans were minted very thin to prevent counterfeits that were not...
Ancient Period In ancient Japan, where the economy was based on barter, commodities such as rice, salt, and fabric were used as substitutes for money. The first metal money (coined currency) made in Japan, known as "Wado Kaichin" , was...
