[JK-076] Bunsei Koban Gold

●Bunsei Koban is a gold coin issued during the Bunsei era (1819–1828) in the late Edo period, under the Tokugawa shogunate. It represents one of the final major koban issues before the monetary reforms of the Tenpō era, reflecting the fiscal pressures faced by the shogunate in the 19th century.

The Bunsei Koban is struck in a gold–silver alloy with an approximate fineness of .559 gold, the balance being primarily silver.
On the reverse, it bears the era character “Bun” (文) in a cursive script style, distinguishing it from earlier Genbun issues, which display the same character in regular script.

Date: ND (circa 1819–1828, Edo period)
As with other Edo-period gold coins, Bunsei Koban are non-dated issues and are attributed to this era based on their stamped characters and stylistic features.

Although produced in large quantities, high-quality surviving examples are increasingly difficult to obtain, particularly those with clear stamps, balanced color, and well-preserved surface texture. As a result, Bunsei Koban remain an important and actively collected type within the series of Japanese pre-modern gold coinage.