Over 500,000 ceramic 'ghost coins' from World War II discovered in Kyoto warehouse

In August, an astonishing discovery in Kyoto, Japan, captured the attention of historians and collectors worldwide: over 500,000 rare World War II-era ceramic coins, known as "Maboroshi" or "ghost coins," were found in a warehouse near the former manufacturing factory site in Higashiyama Ward. Employees of Shofu Kogyo Co. Ltd. unearthed these coins inside the company's old warehouses, specifically in 15 wooden boxes filled with ceramic pieces. "There are unexpected things in unexpected places," the manager of Shofu Inc. said at that time, according to La Nación. 

The Maboroshi coins were manufactured by Shofu Kogyo Co. Ltd. during the Second World War under orders from the Japanese government due to metal shortages. As metals were heavily directed towards the production of weapons and ammunition, a nationwide metal shortage affected the minting of coins. To sustain the domestic economy, the material for fabricating coins was replaced by ceramics. The Japanese government encouraged the use of alternative materials, and ceramic coins became a provisional resource during World War II in Japan.

Each Maboroshi coin had a denomination of 1 sen, equivalent to 1/100 of a yen, and measured approximately 15 millimeters in diameter. The coins featured an image of Mount Fuji on one side and cherry blossoms on the other, reflecting national symbols of Japan and embodying the sense of identity and resilience of the era. Due to the ceramic material, the coins were preserved in perfect condition, and the boxes contained thousands of coins, which turned out to be relics.

It is estimated that more than 15 million Maboroshi coins were produced in the cities of Kyoto, Arita, and Seto to meet the demand, with approximately 15 million ceramic coins also produced in the Kita district of Osaka. However, the majority of these coins were never circulated. The creation of these ceramic coins was intended to be a temporary solution, but they were never issued due to the end of World War II. After Japan's surrender on August 15, 1945, the need for ceramic coins disappeared, and the Japanese government ordered their destruction to avoid the circulation of money that no longer served a practical purpose. Many of the ceramic coins were crushed under a national order, leading to their designation as "phantom currency" or "ghost coins."

The discovery of such a large quantity of Maboroshi coins is extremely rare, as they were believed to have been destroyed after the end of World War II. This find has generated significant interest in the Japan Mint and offers invaluable insights into Japan's economic context during the war. The Japan Mint acquired the ceramic coins to integrate them into its collection of historical artifacts. In a ceremony, Takami Tetsuo, the president of Shofu Kogyo Co. Ltd., received recognition for the preservation of this important historical finding. As a gift, he was presented with a display case containing one hundred ceramic coins. The Japan Mint sent a letter of appreciation to Shofu Inc. and gave them 100 of the ceramic coins.

"We hope that the recent discovery of so many ceramic coins will lead to new discoveries about the circumstances surrounding the manufacture of currency at the end of the Pacific War," a representative of the institute stated, according to El Cronista. 

"We hope this provides a greater understanding of the manufacturing conditions of the time," the mint’s statement read. According to the government website, the next objective is "to conduct a detailed examination, comparing them with the materials preserved in the collection of the mint."

The coins were transferred to the government agency's headquarters located in the Kita district of Osaka for examination and future exhibition in the Coin Museum. Authorities indicated that the coins will be exhibited in the Japan Mint Museum in Osaka and other locations, following their transfer for examination. The exhibition is also scheduled to travel to other branches, including the cities of Saitama and Osaka. The Mint Museum will open its doors on November 6, 2024. Guided tours will be scheduled to provide attendees with a detailed explanation about the history and context of these artifacts. The intention of the exhibition is to share this part of history with the public.

Shofu Industry Corporation, which originally manufactured porcelain ornaments, still exists today but under the name Shofu Inc. Due to a government regulation and with prior authorization, Shofu Inc. changed its production from ornaments to coins during the war. Some of the ceramic coins that leaked out are displayed in various local museums, but only a few remain as part of historical records. Because of their rarity and historical significance, these ceramic coins currently have no monetary value but are being coveted by many collectors and auction houses due to their historical and cultural importance.

Sources: La Nacion, El Cronista

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq