The Ryukyuan mon was the currency used in the Ryukyu Islands. The Ryukyuan monetary system was based on that of China, like those of many nations in the Sinosphere, with the mon serving as the basic unit, just as with the Japanese mon, Vietnamese văn, and Korean mun. Like Japan had also done for centuries, the Ryukyuans often made use of the already-existing Chinese cash coins when physical currency was needed.
A 100-mon Ryūkyū Tsūhō coin
A half-shu Ryūkyū Tsūhō coin
Image: Kin'en Yohō (金圓世寳) Obverse & Reverse
The mon was the currency of Japan from the Muromachi period in 1336 until the early Meiji period in 1870. It co-circulated with the new sen until 1891. Throughout Japanese history, there were many styles of currency of many shapes, styles, designs, sizes and materials, including gold, silver, bronze, etc. The kanji for mon (文) also shares its name with Chinese wén, Korean mun, Vietnamese văn.
Kan'ei Tsūhō (寛永通宝) coins. The top coins were each worth 4 mon; the middle and bottom coins were worth 1 mon each.
Bunkyū ēhō (文久永宝). Branched ("Edasen" 枝銭) Mon coins of the Bunkyū period. This shows the foundry technique to make the coins: the coins would then be clipped and filed to obtain the final round shape.
An Eiraku Tsūhō (永樂通寳) coin, one of the most commonly circulating coins of the era before the Edo period.
A Hōei Tsūhō (寳永通寳) coin, these were unsuccessfully introduced as a large denomination 10 mon coin in 1708, but failed because of their debased copper content.