Help!

As I said on the home page, this site is a work in progress. I am still researching, and sometimes the best reference is another person instead of a book on a shelf. In the hopes that someone out there has an answer or two, here are a few of the questions that continue to baffle me. If you have any insights, just go to the Contact Me tab up top and send me a message.

Is there any record of the number of Gaku ichibu minted?

I've scoured my sources for information about the Gaku ichibu, and while I've learned a lot and answered most of my questions, I haven't found anything at all to suggest a mintage number. Is there any record?

Why were three/four mints used for Keicho ichibu? What's the story behind them?

Keicho ichibu were supposedly stuck in Edo, Kyoto, Suruga, and I believe Sado*. This is the only piece minted at Suruga or Kyoto**, but I haven't found any information about the origin or end of those mints.

* Not mentioned in English sources. Research in progress.

** English sources state the Gaku ichibu were struck in Kyoto. This is incorrect, but I haven't written up the explanation yet. Stay tuned.

Why do some repaired Keicho ichibu have one repair mark, while others have two?

According to one Japanese book from 1999 and one Japanese dealer, we don't know what the significance of the number of marks is. I'm not yet convinced and am currently tracking down new sources in hopes they'll shed some light on things.