EMPIRE OF CHINA
GENUINE QING (CH’ING) OR MANCHU DYNASTY (1644-1912)
KUNMIN, YUNNAN PROVINCE
SYCEE SADDLE MONEY (SANCHUO JIEDING)
ALSO CALLED PAI FANG DING OR "GATEWAY MONEY"
5 TAELS SILVER BAR - INGOT
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THE FIRST SYCEE (COMING FROM THE CHINESE WORD FOR “FINE SILVER”) INGOTS ARE DATED BY SOME SCHOLARS TO THE MONGOL (YUAN) DYNASTY (1279-1368 C.E.) OR EARLIER. THEY WERE MADE BY PRIVATE FIRMS AND USED TO FACILITATE THE STORAGE OF SILVER BY THE WEALTHY. OFFICIAL ASSSAYERS WOULD OFTEN STAMP THE INGOTS TO VERIFY THEIR QUALITY. DURING THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES, EUROPEAN TRADE WITH CHINA REVITALIZED TRADE IN SYCEE, BUT WERE EVENTUALLY BANNED BY THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNMENT.
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THE CHARACTERISTIC SHAPES WERE PECULIAR TO REGION AND DEPENDED ON THE MOLD, STAMPING AND CUTTING OF THE INGOT AND CAME IN STANDARDIZED WEIGHTS MEASURED IN TAELS.
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CHARACTERIZED BY THE 3 STAMP TROUGHS ON ITS FACE, THIS RECTANGULAR YUNNAN PROVINCE SADDLE-SHAPED SYCEE IS STAMPED DEEPER ON THE ENDS WITH FORCE, DEPRESSING THE ENDS LIKE "TONGUES". IT ALSO APPEARS CINCHED AT THE "WAIST" AND AN ASSAYER'S COLUMN STAMP WAS APPLIED TWICE, FLANKING THE CENTER STAMP.
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LOCAL BANKS IN THE PROVINCE OF YUNNAN, IN OR NEAR KUNMIN, AGREED TO STANDARDIZED WEIGHT AND PURITY REGARDING THE MANUFACTURE OF SADDLE MONEY.
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THIS INGOT'S PROVENANCE CAME FROM A COLLECTION IN THE UNITED STATES MORE THAN FORTY YEARS IN THE MAKING AND OWNED BY A RESPECTED COLLECTOR OF CHINESE NUMISMATICA. IT IS GUARANTEED ABSOLUTELY AUTHENTIC.
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5 TAEL SYCEE CONTAINS 180 GRAMS OF .960+ FINE SILVER (5.5563+ OZS ASW)
62 MM IN LENGTH, 40 MM IN WIDTH AND 17 MM THICK
