For a
bit of variety, I think I'll post an article on different or curious
money - perhaps once a month (?) - just to introduce people to the big wide world out there. Some will be ancient - some less so...
No.1
Attached is a picture of an example of canoe
money (also know as
Lat Hoi
money). I purchased this of a very respected dealer in 1992 (for about £6 or so - I think - though it is
still possible to
pick them up for around that
price) .
This form of
money was used around the Mekong delta region - modern day Thailand. Ingot
money in this
area is thought to have generally appeared in Menam Valley for the first time in early 14th century. This one is 95mm long and is one of the middle period ones - later examples being shorter. The practice of making these probably ended with the establishment of the
French Protectrate in 1889 (
Ref.
Mitchiner). It is likely that these were used in spiritual offerings as well as commerce.
AE
LatCopper / Bronze
Size 95 mm
Weight 53g
Early 18th C
Ref.
Mitchiner 3018
This particular series consists of a series of unstamped billion or near copper/brass ingots. The slightly raised ends leads to the popular name of "canoe
money". They are not particually exciting (no dramatic poses of gods or
personifications here) but they are curious.
(Actually they are annoying to store as they don't fit into anything normally used for coins.)
All the best
-:
Bacchus:-