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500,000 WWII ‘phantom’ ceramic coins discovered in Kyoto warehouse In a rare discovery, Shofu Inc., a Kyoto-based ceramics company, uncovered approximately 500,000 rare “Maboroshi” or “phantom” ceramic coins from World War II. These coins, produced in response to metal shortages, were found in August 2023, and stashed in 15 wooden boxes at Shofu’s former factory, which once crafted such coins during the war. Manufactured in wartime by companies like Shofu Kogyo Co. Ltd. in Kyoto, Seto, and Arita, the coins provided a crucial substitute for standard metal currency. During WWII, metal was reallocated for munitions production, prompting the Japanese government to commission ceramic coins to sustain internal trade...