Saddle Sycee with Additional Chop Marks

Stephen Tai
Mar.28, 1998

	Hu Wan Yi Bank, Remittance Bank’s Fine Silver Checked by Official Public Assayer Ser Ching Sheng and Juo Bao Chuang Additional chop: Yuan Weight: 172g
	Yuong Yu Ma Bank, the 11^th Month’s Fine Silver Checked by Public Assayer Tong Additional chop: Jiu Weight: 160g
	Li Yuen Sheng Bank, Remittance Bank’s Fine Silver Checked by Public Assayer Tong, Ser, Juo Weight: 181g

In the case of being a remedial silver as requested by Yunnan government, or being double checked by another assaying system before circulated in a different region, saddle sycee would be stamped on with specific, yet, additional chops. But, in most case, such additional chops were exceptional and not necessary.
The shown saddle sycee severally stamped on with Yuenľ, Jiuľ and Dingľ are unusual. The chops could be stamped on by bearers who had held the saddle sycee after verifying and qualifying purity of silver, even though the saddle sycee had already passed the examination by assayers.
The chop of Jiuľ and Dingľ, mean Bureauľ and Pollľ or Grown-up Maleľ, respectively. The two characters were frequently used by the officials on the occasion of levying taxes, which implied that the saddle sycee might have been acquired by official sectors. Moreover, they had been applied to internal verification procedures by and of the official sectors.