Haul of feudal coins in Saitama could total up to 260,000

KUMAGAYA, Saitama Prefecture–One of the biggest hauls of medieval coins ever discovered in Japan has been unearthed in Saitama Prefecture.

Tens of thousands of bronze coins were found in a buried ceramic jar believed to date back to the first half of the 15th century.

The jug apparently contains at least 100,000 coins and maybe up to 260,000, according to Saitama Cultural Deposits Research Corp., which found the artifact.

Researchers have so far only studied 70 of the coins, looped with string. They include 19 kinds of coins from China and elsewhere, such as the Eiraku Tsuho, Genpo Tsuho and Kaigen Tsuho.

“We intend to examine the coins in detail,” said a corporation official. Read more.