This hansatsu (domain note) was issued by the Wakayama Domain during the Bakumatsu period, the final years of the Tokugawa shogunate (roughly 1853–1867). The note is valued at 1 monme of silver, a common denomination used by domains to facilitate trade and stabilize local economies. Issued by the ruling Tokugawa family’s Wakayama domain, this note is classified as a daimyo-issued currency (大名札), reflecting the domain’s local economic practices during this era of political instability and rapid change.
The Wakayama Domain, located in present-day Wakayama Prefecture, was historically one of the key territories of the Tokugawa shogunate. Its silver-backed notes, such as this one, were crucial for addressing financial needs within the domain as the shogunate’s centralized control weakened in the face of foreign pressure and domestic unrest.
This particular note is rated in "average" condition (並品中), offering a glimpse into the fiscal history of Japan at a critical time. The Bakumatsu period was marked by increased use of domain-issued notes as Japan transitioned from a feudal system to a modernized nation-state under the Meiji Restoration.
A fascinating piece for collectors of Edo-period and Bakumatsu-era Japanese history, this note offers a rare opportunity to own a piece of Japan's financial history during one of its most transformative periods.
