File:Zeniza emaki ("Cash Mint Picture Scroll") 04.jpg

English: A faithful reproduction of a 1728 scroll from the Sendai Domain that the depicts the manufacture of copper cash coins in Japan.

"Anciently Chinese coins were cast using clay molds, but from the early 600's the use of the sand mold method became common. Japan used the sand mold method from the very beginning of its minting history in the late 600's. The sand mold uses two frames filled with fine grain wetted sand, and a set of carefully manufactured "seed coins" or "mother coins." The man on the right is laying the mother coins on the sand in the mold. He also lays down rods to create the basic path for the molten metal to flow into the space of each coin. After the mother coins are laid out, the second frame filled with sand is laid on top. The man on the left is walking on the paired frames to make sure that the sand presses tightly to the mother coins, so as to produce a fine image.

After the mold of the mother coins is pressed sufficiently, the front and back of the mold are separated. The man on the right is cutting clean paths to each coin for the molten metal. The man in the center is removing the mother coins leaving the negative imprint in the sand. The man on the left is heating the sand filled frames with smoky pine. This dries the sand but the resin smoke helps the sand stick together to maintain its shape. The carbon also helps the molten metal flow more smoothly. Coins fresh from the mold are usually covered in pine resin soot." - Dr. Luke Roberts.

"After the mold is prepared then the two sides are clamped tightly together, as on the right side of this picture. The man on the left is finishing the final stages of preparing the molten metal. This was a mixture of copper with lead, tin, nickel, iron or other metals including, I was surprised to learn, toxic metals such as mercury and arsenic. Copper was usually predominant but some coins contain so much nickel or iron that they can be picked up with a magnet. Others contain so much lead that they are chalky and grey. The relative proportions of metal were often subject to availability and market forces." - Dr. Luke Shepherd Roberts.