Groovy Sycee of Shensi Province

Stephen Tai
Feb.27, 1998

Inscriptions: Li Chuan County, [Silver shop] Chang Hsin
Diameter: 39(L) x 46(W) x 19(H)mm
Weight: 130g (3.5 taels)
Inscriptions: The year of Gan Hsu (the 2^nd year of Huang Tung - 1910), Nan Cheng City, [Silversmith] Chang Li
Diameter: 34(L) x 43(W) x 21(H)mm
Weight: 142g (4 taels)
Inscriptions: Si-An Province (i.e. Shensi), [Silver shop] Yuong Feng Ho
Assayed chop: Official Assayer's Office
Diameter: 37(L) x 45(W) x 24(H)mm
Weight: 202g (5.5 taels)

In Shensi Province during Ching Dynasty widely circulated a kind of oval shaped sycee as above shown, which was inscribed with a rectangular stamp, weighed about 3.5-6.0 taels (130-220g). The local people called it Chao Yin, which means 'Groovy Sycee'.
Groovy sycee was used both by local governments and merchants. #1, #2 were all tax silver cast for the local governments during late Ching Dynasty; #3 were a mercantile sycee.
Assaying system was also employed by Shensi in late Ching Dynasty, mainly for its mercantile silver currency. Their assayers were using the chop simply stating a few words as 'Official Assayer's Office', 'Public Assayer', 'Provincial Assayer', unlike Yunnan, where was disclosing assayers' names.