19th Century Vietnamese 10 Liang Silver Bar

Often referred to as a Banana Bar – this is an 19th Century (these were made from the early 1800s to the early 1900s) 10 Liang (Tael) Silver cast bar in the typical Banana or canoe shape (Used for stacking). These cool silver bars were used extensively in the Opium trade at the time.

Cast mainly from melted Spanish-American 8 Reales, Indian Rupees, and French Indochina Piastres, they assay consistently .991 fine (This example tests as .993 via an XRF scan) . A typical weight is generally in the 350-380 grams range, with a likely standard of 380 gm. This example weighs 374.98 grams. The size is typically 110mm x 31mm x 14mm, except the early class which is longer and thinner. This example is 110mm x 30mm x 15mm.

These ingots were made by bankers (silver merchants); when presented to government officials for testing. When a fee was paid, a Thap (10 Lang) stamp and three other “verification stamps” were added. Bars later presented in payment of a standard 10 Lang tax were stamped on obverse (concave side) with three panels of two characters each, giving the reign title, sexagenary date, and province respectively, with a fourth Noi Te if paid at the Capital. Bars with these “royal stamps” are scarce. Treasury officials would also test scrap brought to them and cast bars bearing the three royal stamps and the official assayer’s name at the lower left side, but without the four verification stamps. Such bars are rare because the officials charged more for their services than the silver merchants. At some point this system broke down and to meet the continuing demand for convenient, stackable ingots, silver merchants in Thailand, Hong Kong, and possibly Burma and China produced a slightly different, late version. Along with the Fu and stag-head Tael coins, these may have been used primarily in the opium trade.

This Bar is an excellent specimen of the 10 Liang bar and is in it’s natural state (Has not been cleaned or polished).

Weight: 374.98 grams
Dimensions: 110mm x 30mm x 15mm
XRF Assay: .993 Fine silver