Man-en Oban were minted between 1860 and 1862. Oban were
specially
minted coins that were given as gifts to retainers, nobles, and government
officials. The first Oban were minted in the Tensho Era (1573-1591) by
Toyotomi Hideyoshi to give to the Muromachi Shogunate. The Oban is
made of gold and silver with the percentage of silver increasing over the
years.
The Tokugawa Shogunate continued to make Oban in the same style as
Hideyoshi. The Man-en Oban were the last Oban minted.