China Tael: A Comprehensive Guide to the Ancient Currency

The China Tael was a major currency in ancient China, used from the 7th century to the 20th century. It was a unit of account and a medium of exchange.

The Tael was initially made of copper, but later it was minted in silver, gold, and other precious metals. Its value was based on the weight of the metal it was made of.

The China Tael was widely used in trade and commerce, and its value was standardized across different regions. Merchants and traders relied on it for their transactions.

The China Tael has a rich history that dates back to ancient times. It was used as a unit of weight and currency in China, equivalent to 1.3 ounces of silver.

The tael was first used in the Ming dynasty and continued to be used until the early 20th century. It was an important form of currency in China, especially during the Qing dynasty.

In China, the tael was not minted as a coin, but rather served as a standard unit of account. Actual transactions were completed with ingots of silver, bank notes, or checks expressed in taels, or with silver coins.

The Shanghai tael was the most important currency tael, with a fine-silver equivalent of 518 grains. Its exchange value fluctuated with the price of silver in London and New York City.

The tael was used for wholesale trade and foreign-exchange transactions in China's most important commercial city, Shanghai. It was also used for retail trade, alongside Mexican and Chinese silver dollars, fractional silver coins, and 10-cash copper pieces.

The China Tael was officially abolished in 1933, replaced by the new Chinese standard dollar, or yuan. This marked the end of an era for the tael, which had been an important part of China's currency system for centuries.

The China Tael, a unit of weight and currency that's been around for thousands of years. It originated in ancient China during the Zhou Dynasty, around 1046-256 BCE.

The China Tael was initially based on the weight of a specific type of cowry shell, which was used as a form of currency. This system was later replaced by the use of the silver Tael, which was equal to about 37.5 grams of silver.

The China Tael was widely used in trade and commerce, particularly during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its value was often standardized by governments to maintain economic stability.

The 1903 Silver Fengtien Tael Pattern is a truly unique coin, and it's worth noting that it's the only one of its kind.

It's made from silver and features the Chinese dragon on the obverse side, which is a well-known symbol in Chinese culture.

The tael is a unit in the traditional Chinese system of weights and was used in other Asian cultures as well.

The characters "Yuánbao" inscribed on the coin refer to Chinese ingots of gold or silver, or sycee, which were an important form of currency in China during the Ming dynasty.

The coin was made in the Fengtien Machinery Bureau, which is now the Shenyang Mint.

The reverse side of the coin depicts four large Chinese characters in the center and an inscription along the top half and along the bottom.

The date on the reverse is representative of the use of the Chinese "stem-branch" calendar that was used in ancient times.

This coin is extremely rare and difficult to collect, with an estimated value of around $3 million in Uncirculated condition.

The tael was a Chinese unit of weight that was used as a unit of currency, particularly for silver. Most taels were equivalent to 1.3 ounces of silver.

The tael was seldom minted as a coin, but rather served as a standard unit of account. Actual transactions were completed with ingots of silver, or bank notes and checks expressed in taels.

In China, the tael varied in weight depending on the scales used in a particular region or locality. The most important currency tael was the Shanghai tael.

The Shanghai tael's fine-silver equivalent was 518 grains, and its exchange value fluctuated with the price of silver in London and New York City. This made it the basis for wholesale trade and foreign-exchange transactions in Shanghai.

The tael was eventually replaced by the new Chinese standard dollar, or yuan, in 1933. This marked the end of the tael's use as a unit of currency in China.

China tael coins can be quite large, with some being worth more than one dollar.

Most Chinese tael coins you see today are actually counterfeit, with only a few provinces minting genuine coins since about 1900.

Be cautious when buying expensive coins from people you don't know and trust, as you might end up with a fake.

Genuine Chinese tael coins typically only show Chinese logogram characters, while fake ones may have English words in Latin letters.

If a coin has English writing, it's likely a fake, especially if it's from a province like Kwang Si, Yun Nan, He Nan, Fen Tien, Kuang Shu, or Sungarei.

Some coins with English writing, like Shanghai, Tai Ching, Kuang Hsu, or Hu Peh, might be genuine, but it's essential to verify their authenticity.

The Hobby Protection Act in the US requires all coin replicas to carry the inscription COPY, but China has no such law, making it a buyer beware market for rare coins, especially Chinese ones.

To avoid buying counterfeit coins, deal only with people you know and trust, and build a relationship with several dealers by buying low-end coins slowly at first.