1 ryo had currency value as 1 koban (former Japanese gold coin of oval shape) which 1 ryo was equivalent to 2 nibu-kin (former Japanese gold coin of 2 bu), 4 ichibu-kin (former Japanese gold coin of 1 bu) or ichibu-gin (former Japanese silver coin of 1 bu), 8 nishu-kin (former Japanese gold coin of 2 shu) or Nanryo nishu-gin (former Japanese silver coin of 2 shu), 16 isshu-kin (former Japanese gold coin of 1 shu) or isshu-gin (former Japanese silver coin of 1 shu) accordingly.
小判1枚の貨幣価値に相当し、したがって二分金2枚に、一分金、一分銀4枚に相当し、また二朱金、南鐐二朱銀8枚に、一朱金、一朱銀16枚に相当する。