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Money in the Land of the Rising Sun I: The Copper Coins of Ancient Japan
By Aila de la Rive, © MoneyMuseum 2005
(Translated by Geoffrey P. Burwell)

Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun, is one of the oldest states in the world: in over 2000 years the island nation has slowly and continuously developed culturally, socially, politically and economically into the country that it is today. It is characteristic that Japan never fell under the domination of a foreign power during this time – until after the Second World War when it was occupied by the Americans for some years (1945-1952).

That does not mean, of course, that no external influences were adopted – on the contrary: until the end of the Japanese Middle Ages (about 1200-1600) the Land of the Rising Sun was completely geared towards its great neighbour China. It was from here that it adopted cultural, political and economic achievements. One of these was money.

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Money in the Land of the Rising Sun II: Japan's Road to the Yen
By Aila de la Rive, © MoneyMuseum 2005
(Translated by Geoffrey P. Burwell)

Well into the 16th century payments in Japan were made in the Chinese way: the Japanese government minted coins following the Chinese example, and in addition masses of cash coins (Ch'ien) imported from China were in circulation.

With the beginning of modern times (which began in Japan around 1600), however, a radical turn around took place in the Land of the Rising Sun. Under the government of the Tokugawa shoguns (the Edo period, 1603-1867) the island nation cut itself off almost completely from the outside world. In this time an independent Japanese culture evolved – and a coinage system of its own, whose principal feature was the simultaneous circulation of a gold and a silver currency.

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Money in the Land of the Rising Sun III: The Yen
By Aila de la Rive, © MoneyMuseum 2005
(Translated by Geoffrey P. Burwell)

Just as absolutely as Japan had previously isolated itself, so completely did its entry into the international community follow in the 19th century. Both at home and abroad there was growing support for the demand that the country should open up for economic reasons. American warships and Japanese revolts finally swept the shogunate's government from power.

The year 1868 marked the turning point: the Land of the Rising Sun entered into modernity in the so-called Meiji period (1868-1912). A rapid reform of the state along western lines took place. The old feudal patterns were abolished, the ban on travelling abroad was lifted and the Gregorian calendar was introduced. The army was re-modelled on the Prussian pattern, and education was made compulsory. Also, the various Japanese currencies were replaced by the new yen.

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The MoneyMuseum at Hadlaubstrasse in Zurich, Switzerland
By Irma Götz, © MoneyMuseum 2003
(Translated by Graham Pascoe)

The story of money: the rise and fall of the world’s currencies, the history of the coins in our pockets and the banknotes in our wallets – that’s what all the branches of the MoneyMuseum are for, to tell you all about money, in an entertaining, lighthearted way, in pictures and sound. That’s the purpose of the MoneyMuseum in the Hadlaubstrasse in Zurich too. It’s conceived as a kind of meeting-place like a Roman forum, where anything and everything to do with money – views, experiences and visions – can be discussed and learnt about. But that’s not all by any means. We’d like to show you all the other things the MoneyMuseum in the Hadlaubstrasse has to offer. (14 pictures)

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Portraits on Coins
By Karin Althaus, © MoneyMuseum 2000
(Translated by Graham Pascoe)

The Renaissance loved portraits – and transformed the nature of portraits. Both in paintings and coins, out went symbolic, typical faces, and in came individualised portraits. And portraits meant profiles.

This development is influenced by Classical Greek and Roman coins. And it is far-reaching: in contrast to the appealing, even captivating, frontal portrait, a pure profile seems austere. It creates a sense of detachment, since the gaze of the person depicted cannot meet that of the viewer. Here are some examples of this art form: coin portraits of stunning beauty, numismatic masterpieces of miniature art. (11 pictures)

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