As per the latest news reports, in Maebashi, a city located approximately 60 miles northwest of Tokyo, archaeologists have uncovered a substantial trove of around 100,000 coins during excavations preceding the construction of a factory. If reports are to go by, only 334 coins have undergone examination so far, with the oldest coin originating from China and dating back to 175 BC., whereas the most recent coin is dated AD 1265.
Additional reports state that the coins, found in 1,060 bundles, each consisting of approximately 100 coins, comprise Banliang coins featuring Chinese inscriptions such as 'half ounce,' a type commonly produced in China approximately 2,200 years ago.
Ethan Segal, an associate professor of history at Michigan State University, noted that similar coin hoards, sometimes larger, have been found across Japan, particularly from the medieval period (13th through 16th centuries).
The Japanese began producing their metal currency in the late seventh century, influenced by Chinese coins with square holes for stringing together large amounts.
Contemplating the potential roots of the concealed treasure, scholars propose diverse theories. Some suggest hoards functioned as banks for safekeeping or had symbolic, possibly religious, significance.
An alternative theory suggests that, during periods of war, Japanese people may have buried coins to impede their escape from enemy forces. William Farris, a retired professor specializing in Japanese history at the University of Hawaii, supports the idea that these coins served as a kind of secure storage akin to a bank.
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Regarding the burial date and the individuals responsible for interring the hoard, the presence of a coin dating back to 1265 suggests a deposition around that era, potentially during the Kamakura period. This historical period saw heightened engagement of Japanese warriors, culminating in the establishment of a shogunate in the vicinity of present-day Tokyo.
However, scholars caution against premature dating, as only a limited number of coins have been examined, and the cache may contain coins from a later period.
