An Only-Found Kanghsi 50-Tael Yuanbao

Stephen Tai
Feb.14, 1998

The shown sycee silver, sized 126(L) x 63(W) x 73(H) mm, weighted 1842g, engraved with Hsiang Yang Hsien, Kangsi Sze Se Yi Nien Fen <Chop Mark>* Yin Wu Se Liang, Yin Jiang Mao ? Cheng, which means ‘Hsiang Yang County (in Hupei Province), the 41^st fiscal year (1702) ... silver of 50 taels, cast by silversmith Mao ? Cheng’.

Note:
* <Chop mark>: Can’t be identified.

Such sycee silver has been seriously oxygenated and turned into dark grayish green, part of its rims have become rotten. Through its rusty appearances, we assume that it should had been buried for a long time until being excavated. There are some new sawing and scratching wounds severally on its waist and face, which indicates that it might come from an excavation not long ago, and the person who found it, not knowing what it is, attempted to look into what is inside by taking these foolish measures.
This sycee silver, to my best understanding, is the only one in 50 taels from Kangsi period (1662-1731) which have been found, for the time being.
Most Chinese numismatic experts and collectors all acknowledge that sycee silver in very early Ching period are extremely rare. To an extent that, such rarity has even cause a great obstacle for us to understand the sycee currency employed at that time.
The reason why causes sycee of the time almost disappeared, strongly attaches to the order of Emperor Kanghsi in the 45^th year (1706) of his reign. He commanded to all silver treasuries of the government the priority of using sycee silver: old ones first than new ones. Upon such order, all sycee silvers of earlier years in the governmental treasuries were used up, for repaying any account payable, and those old sycee silvers eventually would be released to markets, then melted and recast into various new sycee in different weights, purity, as to be coped with the specific needs of users, which had made the old sycee silver disappeared.
The shown sycee silver should be a tax silver submitted to the empire through Hupei Province from Hsiang Yang County, and for unknown reason it was buried underground, and escaped from being recycled, therefore we may have the chance to see it.
Via the shown sycee silver we may aware that the silver employed by that time, are similar to the style of late Ming Dynasty, besides, their inscriptions are all in engraved characters, unlike those in the prime time of Ching Dynasty.

A Legendary Currency in Late Ching Dynasty - A Study on Yunnan Pai-Fang-Ding