A Vietnamese Silver Bar

Stephen Tai
Apr.05, 1998

Dimensions: 44(L) x 13(W) x 7(H)
Weight: 37g

Obverse: Made in Gia Long period (1802-1819)
Reverse: Genuine Silver of One Tael
Right Side: Worth for 2 Guang [1 Guang normally means 1,000 cashes, also called Diao] and 800 cashes
Left Side: Jong Ping ? [Its meaning unknown]
Two Ends: Gong [Could be an assayer's chop mark]

Bar silvers in rectangular shape were a kind of standard silver currency in ancient Vietnam.
The shown one-tael bar silver was cast in the reign of Jia Long (1802-1819). Small bar silvers in similar shape of the time also exist.
The peculiarity of such silver bar is in its denotion of Worth for 2 Guang and 800 Cashes. The Vietnam officials were obviously trying to regulate the market of silver and cash currency by manipulating a fixed exchange rate.
The mandatory exchange rate seems having little chance to be complied by then people. The exchange rates of the two currency had been fluctuated, it was quite impossible for the rate to be fixed. If Vietnamese officials chose to compel people to stick to the fixed rate that did not cope with actual exchange rate of free market, then, either silver or cash coins would escape to China in pursuing better prices.
Actually, many Vietnamese coins and silver bars were found having circulated in China during Ching dynasty.

Message from Thuan D. Luc (19-Apr-98) [with Vietnamese transcription of inscriptions]:

Before the Court already minted the 10-lang silver bar (equivalent to 28-quan) to be used, but it was not very convenient when people needed smaller amount. In the 10^th month of the 11^th year of ^{Gia Long} (1812), the Emperor issued the decree to start to mint this 2-quan-8 mach silver bar.

The observe has 4 characters GIA LONG NIEN TAO.
The reverse has 4 characters TINH NGAN NHAT LANG [Tinh Ngan = Pure silver].
The right side has 6 characters TRI TIEN NHI QUAN BAT MACH [The value of this bar is 2 quan 8 mach].
The left side has 3 characters TRUNG BINH HIEU [use the kind of scale named TRUNG BINH]. There are special marks between these 3 characters, they are different from bar to bar.

The value of this silver bar stated clearly on the bar 1 LANG = 2 QUAN 8 MACH was based on the equivalent value of silver at that time. Later on, when the currency exchange was different, of course, the bar was cut into pieces to exchange by weight to adjust its worth.

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