FOREIGN DOLLARS IN VIET NAM DURING 17-19 CENTURY |
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Thuan D. Luc |
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References: |
Dai nam Hoa Te Do Luc, Albert Schroeder, Paris 1905. |
Histoire monétaire des Colonies Francaise, E.Zay, Paris 1892. |
Monnaies Francaises, Colonies 1670-1942, V.G, numismate, Versailles 1942. |
Quan dan Viet Nam chong Tay xam, Quan Xu 3, Bo Tong Tham Muu Quan Luc VNCH. |
Viet Su: Xu dang trong, Phan Khoang. |
Tu lieu 'Tien Te Viet Nam, tap Tien Dong Duong', Luc Duc Thuan (chua xuat ban). |
Tu lieu 'Tien Te Viet Nam, tap Tien co trieu Nguyen', Luc Duc Thuan (chua xuat ban). |
Standard catalog of World coin, 19th century edition, Krause publications. |
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Since 17th century, Europeans have reached seacoasts of Asian countries for trading services. Faifo (in Quang nam Province), Ke Cho (Hanoi), Macao, Malacca had been busy trading centers in Asia under the dynasties of Trinh and Nguyen. Coins, bars of silver, bars of gold had been utilized as means of commerce, but they also caused many incoveniences for Europeans, especially after the Chinese Thanh Emperors ordered ban of silver and gold export. The need of money for exchange in business between European and Asian countries became desperate. Thus, the Mexican "8 Reales" silver coins became commonly used. |
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left: Tien SONG CHUC |
MEXICAN 8 REALES COINS |
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front & back: Tien MA KIEM |
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front (1.5 actual size): Tien GENHO TSUHO |
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TRADE DOLLARS |
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left: Bac CON CO with HOA XOE in back |
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The
Mexican 8 Reales coin weights 27.07 gram of pure silver.903 fine, with
picture of an eagle on the front, and the Libertad hat surrounded by
sunlights on the back. The local people gave it a nasty name as "bac hoa
xoe" (coin with picture of a fully opened flower) or "bac con co" (coin
with picture of a stork). A Vietnamese folk song also expressed that these
coins got deep impression in the life of people.
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The
US 1 dollar coin weights 27.22 gram with pure silver .900 fine. On front
is a picture of a girl holding an olive branch surrounded by 13 stars
symbolized 13 original states. On back is a picture of an eagle and the
word TRADE DOLLAR. Its popular name was "girl silver coin". In Dai Nam
Hoa Te Do Luc (Annam, Etude numismatique = Numismatics of Viet Nam),
Albert Schroeder mentioned on "draped bust", Gobrecht (?), and "seated
Liberty" 1 dollar coins, but he did not say whether or not these coins
were utilized in Viet Nam. A Indochina document mentioned of "girl silver
coins".
There were also the French 5 franc coins with picture of Napoleon III, and
the Cambodian 1 piastre/ 1 peso coins with picture of Norodom I circulated
in Viet Nam. Thuan D. Luc
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