EMPIRE OF CHINA
GENUINE QING (CH’ING) OR MANCHU DYNASTY (1644-1912)
SYCEE BOAT MONEY (YUANBAO)
ALSO CALLED SHOE MONEY
10 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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THE BOAT SHAPE COMES FROM THE CASTING PROCESS. AN OVAL MOLD WITH FLAT BOTTOMS AND SIDE INDENTATIONS (WHICH CAUSE THE FIGURE-EIGHT SHAPE OF THE "WAIST") WAS USED.
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THE HIGH SIDES WERE FORMED BY ROCKING THE MOLD DURING COOLING AND THE TINY REGULAR CONCENTRIC LINES ARE CONSIDERED A SIGN OF THE PURITY OF THE SILVER.
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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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10 TAEL SYCEE CONTAINS 343.8 GRAMS OF .960+ FINE SILVER (10.6125+ OZS ASW)
73 MM IN LENGTH, 40 MM IN WIDTH AND 38 MM HIGH
