1887.] S. C. Das — Notes on the Coinage of Siam. 149 



and the Japanese in the Middle Ages could not in my opinion have 

 failed to see the mineral resources of their own country. The Chinese 

 have, since time immemorial, been the developers of the industry and 

 resources of Siam. Their eyes could not have long remained shut to the 

 silver mines which existed in Siam. There is no doubt of the fact that 

 the Siamese did not know the art of mining as it prevails in Europe, and 

 that few mines were worked, and these too very rudely. It is for this 

 reason that the Siamese have ever been dependent on foreign monies, 

 such as the horse-shoe shaped silver pieces of China and the silver 

 currency of India, which they used to re-melt to manufacture ticals, 

 salungs, fu-angs &c. the prevailing silver coins of Siam. In former times 

 when the importation of foreign coins was not inconsiderable, the Siamese 

 used to make their ticals of an alloy of lead and silver, sometimes 

 of iron and nickel. 



There are several gold mines in Siam. The mines at Bang 

 Tapahn are said to contain the purest gold in the country. The Siamese 

 gold is mostly used in manufacturing vases, water goblets, teapots, betel 

 boxes, and other fancy articles, generally used for presentation on festive 

 occasions. 



Leaf-gold is imported in large quantities from China for manufac- 

 turing jewellery and coins. The latter is not an article of currency in 

 the country. On State occasions and ceremonies such as the royal 

 coronation, marriage, cremation, &c. the King and the distinguished mem- 

 bers of the royal family make presents of gold coins to their friends and 

 servants. These coins are therefore kept as objects of curiosity or 

 honour, and are valued at six times the price of their weight of silver. 

 In shape they resemble the ordinary ticals, salungs and fu-angs 

 and are called by the same designations, such as gold ticals, gold 

 salungs and gold fu-angs. 



The Rev. Samuel Smith of Bangkok gives the following account of 

 the modorn currency and its market value : — " The export trade of the 

 country (Siam) is greatly in excess of the import trade. The foreign 

 merchant must import foreign coin to effect his purchasers. The people, 

 however, will not take foreign coin in exchange for their commodities. 

 The importer must apply to the Government for native coins. The 

 Siamese officers in connection with the Mint, burn the foreign coin, 

 place before them a pair of scales, then 80 ticals of a given weight are 

 placed on one scale of the balance, and enough of the burnt dollars are 

 put on the other to balance. For this sum of burnt dollars, the im- 

 porter was charged at 4J ticals for manufacturing that amount of dol- 

 lars into Siamese money. When the Siamese Mint people remelted 

 these dollars they added lead enough to make up for any loss that might 

 result from remelting. 



