Although the currency system in the Edo period had been kept in almost the same manner by the new government after Meiji Restoration, there were problems including organizing han bills (bills usable only in a particular feudal clan) (further, prefectural bills taken over from the han bills) issued by each domain independently and integrating koban (former Japanese oval gold coin) (Keisu kahei [currency by table]) in eastern Japan and chogin (collective term of silver) (Hyodo kahei [currency valued by weight]) in western Japan in order to establish a centralized state.
明治維新後も新政府は、江戸時代の貨幣制度をほぼそのまま受け継いだが、中央集権的な国家を建設するためには、各藩が独自に発行していた藩札（さらにそれを受け継いだ府県札）の整理や、東日本の小判（計数貨幣）と西日本の丁銀（秤量貨幣）の統一なども課題として残されていた。