조선시대 최초의 동전은 조선통보이며 1423년에 주조되었다. 조선통보 2점을 입수하여 원자흡수분광분석법 및 중성자방사화분석법으로 모두 9종의 성분함량을 결정하였고 열이온화질량분석법으로 납동위원소비를 결정하여 원료의 산지를 추정하였다. 조선통보의 성분조성은 $Cu;90\%,;Pb;3~4\%,;Sn;2~3\%$ 로서 중국과 일본의 동전과는 다른 조성을 나타내었다. 납동위원소비 분석결과 중국남부 방연석 분포범위에 속하였으며 통계적 분석법으로서 선형판별식분석법이 유용하게 사용될 수 있음을 확인하였다.
Two pieces of choson-Tongue(朝鮮通寶) minted at 1423 A.D. were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy and neutron activation analysis. The measurement of lead isotope ratios was also carried out in order to predict the provenance of raw materials used for minting. The Chosen-Tongue was minted as bronze having the chemical compositions of $Cu;90\%,;Pb;3~4\%,;Sn;2~3\%$, which were different from the typical composition of Chinese and Japanese coins. The results of lead isotope ratios showed that the provenance of raw materials used for minting had a possibility to be originated from South China. And application of statistical linear discriminant analysis (SLDA) to the provenance of lead used for minting of Chosen-Tongue was confirmed.
