- obverse - - reverse - Meiwa Nanryo Nishu gin (1772) silver(fineness 98%)	[ scale/Size A4 ]

The first silver coin by tale whose value was linked to the accounting unit of the gold coin. In an attempt to establish a stable gold-silver exchange rate, the Tokugawa Shogunate government first issued the gold-linked silver coin by tale called "Gomon'me gin" in Meiwa 2 (1765) with a value fixed at one-twelfth of one ryo. But this currency did not circulate as expected due to the lack of cooperation by money exchange houses. They feared that the policy would reduce their profit opportunity by eliminating gold-silver exchange transactions. In Meiwa 9(1772), the "Meiwa Nanryo Nishu gin" silver coin by tale (above picture) was issued. Since it was stipulated that 8 Nanryo Nishu gin silver coins were freely converted to the 1 ryo Koban, they were well circulated not only in Edo city where gold coins were familiar, but also in the Kansai area, where silver coins by weight were then commonly used. As a matter of fact, the silver coins became a subsidiary form of money to the Koban gold coin, as the supply of the Nanryo Nishu gin exceeded that of silver coins by weight. On the obverse was stamped "8 of these coins are exchangeable for 1 ryo Koban" and one of these coins was equivalent to one "kin Nishu" (an eighth of 1 ryo). "Nanryo" meant "excellent quality of silver" and this coin was actually made of almost pure silver.

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