koban; small oval gold coin (Edo period)
Historical term for a specific gold coin used in the Edo period. Often contrasted with 大判 (ōban), a larger denomination.
See also: 大判
Refers to a small paper size, historically related to the size of a koban coin. Compare with 判 (han) for paper sizes.
See also: 判
I take notes on small-sized paper.
Koban coins were widely circulated during the Edo period.
This table is oval-shaped.
大判 is the larger of the two Edo-period gold coins (and the larger paper/photo format), while 小判 is the smaller coin (and can also mean a smaller format).
Standard kanji spelling.
From 小 (small) + 判 (seal/stamp), referring to the small oval shape of the coin.