Two Major Types
of The 3-Groove Sycee

Stephen Tai
Sep, 27, 1998

Type A: (Bigger size) weighed 4 - 6 taels (140-230 grams)	Inscription: - Xian Feng Er Nian The 2^nd year of Xian Feng, 1852, (1851-1861) Dimensions: 42(L) x 60(W) x 14(H) Weight: 228 g (6 Taels)
	Inscription: - Hong Ju Chang Firm Dimensions: 41(L) x 58(W) x 11(H) Weight: 190 g (5 Taels)
	Inscription: - Yong Mao Zi Hao - Yong Mao Firm Dimensions: 38(L) x 55(W) x 9(H) Weight: 150g (4 Taels)
Type B: (Smaller size) weighed 2.5 - 3 taels (80-120 grams)	Inscription: - De Bao Jiu Ba - De Bao Firm's Silver in 98% of Silver Finesse Dimensions: 42(L) x 30(W) x 12(H) Weight: 99 g (2.7 Taels)
	Inscription: - Jin Bao Hao Yin - Jin Bao Firm's Remittance Silver Dimensions: 45(L) x 30(W) x 8(H) Weight: 89 g (2.5 Taels)
	Inscription: - Guang Xu San Nian The 3^rd year of Guang Xu, 1877 (1875-1908) Rong Mao Jiu Ba Yin - Rong Mao Firm's Silver in 98% of Silver Finesse Dimensions: 45(L) x 30(W) x 8(H) Weight: 89 g (2.5 Taels)

Prior to the existence of Saddle Sycee, 3-Groove Silver was the typical silver currency circulated in Yunnan. This kind of Yunnan local silver which we also believe it was transformed into Saddle Sycee since the 10^th year of Kuang Hsu (1884). Basically, Saddle Sycee can be deemed as a kind of 3-Groove Silver, except that there was an assaying system exclusively designed for it.
3-Groove Silver when still being circulated, was commonly used by the officials and local banks as payments, in terms of remittance silver or collectibles of taxation from the people. However, the purity standard of each silver had not yet been unified, so, from some of the specimens we may find the inscription specifying their silver contents.
Most of the weights of 3-Groove Silver were not in 5 taels as Saddle Sycee weighed. Normally, they can be classified into 2 major types in different sizes; one is weighed from 4-6 taels, another is weighed about a half, mostly in 2.5-3 taels.
As we have known, the order of silver currency in Yunnan had not been well established until the presence of Saddle Sycee, however, despite of all that, sycee currency at the earlier period still required certain basic criteria to facilitate their users. Apparently, the 2 alternative and respectively standardized sizes of 3-Groove Silver were so to be provided.