Qing Dynasty. Kuang-hsü Shangdong Gaobianbao ("High-Sided") Sycee of 50 Taels ND (1875-1908), Opitz-pg. 325 (this piece illustrated), Cribb-Class IX.B. 111mm. 1856.8gm. Cast at De Zhou City by the Julong furnaces. The top row reads: "De Zhou" (District), the right column reads: "Kuang-hsü Nian Yue" (Kuang-hsü Year Month), and the left column reads: "Long Ju Yin Lu" (Julong silver furnace). An elusive tax ingot type that rarely comes to auction, most frequently used to pay the provincial salt tax, although they were also produced for local, customs, and opium taxes. Each of the stamps is fully legible except for one character in the right column, and the body is free of chopmarks. The face shows light discoloration from an old label, and the base displays a small inventory sticker from Mr. Opitz's collection. This lot has not yet been assigned a grade, as it will be submitted to Gongbo for certification before the auction.

HID09801242017

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