Chop Mark Process at Pre-Treaty Canton-Disfavor of Pre-Trade Dollar U.S. Silver Coinage

JCH22

Below is a lively account of the operation of Chinese Chop-Houses in the Pre-Treaty days at Canton. It is posted to provide insight into the chop-mark custom/process, and the disfavor and treatment of pre-Trade Dollar U.S. Silver coinage.

The author was later identified in subsequent editions as William C. Hunter. Hunter apprenticed to the Canton (China) agency of Thomas H. Smith & Son of New York. He first entered China in 1825, at the age of thirteen.

lermish

Thank you for posting this, really interesting!

Typekat

That is way more than I ever knew about how silver actually was traded in old China.

Especially interesting (to me) is that market’s negative reactions to ‘new products,’ such as a change in portraits on the Spanish silver coins.

@JCH22 , thanks!