Chopmarked Silver Ingots

Stephen Tai
Apr.26, 1998

	Inscription: Tong Sheng Fu (Silver Shop) Chopmark: San Sui, Nien Dimension: 60(L) x 52(W) mm x 25(H) Weight: 360 g
	Inscription: Jiang Jin County (Szechuan) Chopmark: Ji Dimension: 58(L) x 51(W) mm x 30(H) Weight: 358 g
	Inscription: Gu Prefecture (Kueichow); Swan Sheng Heng (Silver Shop) Chopmark: ? Dimension: 63(L) x 52(W) mm x 34(H) Weight: 376 g

Many foreign silver coins stamped on with many extra chops while they were circulated in China and other Asian countries during the past few centuries. These chopped coins now become the favorite of a number of collectors, scholars and numismatists, mostly from the west. Many of their research works regarding Chopped Coins have generated.
Some scholars remarks that Chinese’s starting using chop to stamp on coins, was influenced by Indians in the 15^th century. The word chop was originated from chappa in Hindi. However, this perception maybe require for some adjustments.
The commencement of foreign silver coin flood attacking China, was consequent to 1565 AD, the year when Spain conquered the Philippines. Before that time, Chinese used sycee, and chopped their sycee. After various of foreign silver coins came in, they treated them like ordinary silver ingots and chopped those coins.
Many Chinese sycee still may be found chops, as #1, #2, #3 exemplified, they are pretty the same as what we may find from chopped coins. Some of the silver ingots from Song and Jing dynasties are also bearing chops. Moreover, those chops among coins and ingots, as of different period of time, seem bearing same functions, i.e. to verify the purity, and/or so to guarantee.
It is advisable that the study of chopped coins, will be more fruitful and enlightening, if we can link chopped sycee together.