Silver-Backed Hansatsu Note from Harima Province – 2 Fun Copper Denomination, Ansei Era (1857)

This hansatsu (feudal domain currency) was issued in Harima Province's Kōhama Village (now part of Himeji City, Hyōgo Prefecture) during the Ansei era of the Edo period (1854–1860). Denominated at 2 fun (a unit of copper currency), the note was utilized specifically for transactions involving textiles and cotton trading, as indicated by its designation as a hand-written receipt for goods like kasuri thread and cotton.

The note may have been backed by silver in value, but expressed in copper units for local transactions. During the Edo period, Japan used a tri-metallic currency system—gold, silver, and copper. Copper denominations were often used for daily transactions, but their value could be tied to a specific amount of silver based on conversion rates.

Harima Province, known for its agricultural output and role in regional trade networks, was historically part of the Marugame Domain's holdings. The issuing of this note reflects the economic interdependence of rural industries with urban markets during late Edo Japan. These localized hansatsu provided financial flexibility to merchants and village cooperatives in a period marked by increasing economic pressure.

The presence of a copper-backed denomination and its specification for textile transactions exemplifies the multi-faceted use of feudal notes beyond simple currency. Such notes carried practical, administrative, and cultural significance in Edo-period governance.