3 Silver Ingots of Different Years in Yunnan

Stephen Tai
Feb.17, 1998

The shown 3 silver ingots:
The upper one with size 50x37mm, weight 185g, i.e. 5 taels, inscribed with Gia Ching Se Er Nien, Er Yuei, Yu Soon Liu Bin, which means 'the 2^nd month in the 12^th year of Gia Ching period (1796-1820) [1807], [cast by] Yu Soon Bank, Silversmith Liu Bin'.
The middle one with size 59x39mm, weight 228g, i.e. 6 taels, inscribed with 3 identical stamps of Hsieng Feng Er Nien, which means 'the 2^nd year of Hsieng Feng period (1851-1861)', i.e. 1852.
The lowest one with size 48x30mm, weight 106g, i.e. 3 taels, inscribed with Kuang Hsu San Nien Sze Yuei, Zong Sheng Gio Ba Yin, which means 'the 4th month, 3^rd year of Kuang Hsu period (1875-1908) [1877], Zong Sheng bank’s silver in 98% of purity'.

The 3 silver ingots came from Yunnan, representing 3 different silver currency used in the province.
The 3 silver ingots of different weights and inscriptions, the latter two have certain similarity to Pai Fang Dings, which had appeared since 1884.
The major difference between the 3 silver ingots and Pai Fang Dings, is that no assayer’s chop marks can be found in the 3 silver ingots of earlier years, and on the contrary, Pai Fang Dings were forced to bear such marks.
In the definitions of Pai Fang Ding, being assayed and having assayer’s chop marks were both indispensable. Some Yunnan silver ingots of early years are found alike Pai Fang Dings, however, since not fulfilling the two conditions, still can’t be called as Pai Fang Dings.

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