EMPIRE OF CHINA
GENUINE QING (CH’ING) OR MANCHU DYNASTY (1644-1912)
KWANGTUNG OR GWANGXI PROVINCE
SYCEE SUGARLOAF MONEY (FANGCAODING)
ALSO CALLED SQUARE MONEY
5 TAELS SILVER BAR - INGOT
-
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.
-
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.
-
CHARACTERIZED BY ITS RECTANGULAR SHAPE, THIS SYCEE IS STAMPED ONCE IN THE CENTER OF ITS RIMLESS FACE. IT TAPERS SLIGHTLY AT THE WAIST AND ITS ENDS AND BOTTOM CONTINUOUSLY CURVE.
-
THIS TYPE OF INGOT ORIGINATES ITS SHAPE FROM INGOTS OF THE SONG DYNASTY (960-1279 C.E.). DURING THE HEIGHT OF EUROPEAN GALLEY TRADE WITH CHINA, MANY A SPANISH MILLED DOLLAR WAS MELTED TO FORM THESE SYCEE.
-
THEIS SHAPE ALSO FORMS THE BASIC SHAPE OF THE SADDLE MONEY SYCEE WHEN TRIPLE STAMPED.
-
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.
-
5 TAEL SYCEE CONTAINS 156.4 GRAMS OF .960+ FINE SILVER (4.83+ OZS ASW)
46 MM IN LENGTH, 34 MM IN WIDTH AND 11 MM THICK
