It is time to turn another page of my Silver stacking from the fringe; precious metals coming from off the beaten track.
“Black birds tend to like shiny things.” ~ The Bloody Raven
This post is my response to this week's 2nd question by @amberkashif’s …
Collecting objects is a hobby that many enjoy, often without even realizing it. Do you have a collection — big or small — that reflects your interests or memories? What is the most unusual or surprising item you’ve ever collected, and what inspired you to keep it?
Here's the story of the Collection...
Ten years ago, when I made the conscious decision to put a significant part of my excess savings into precious metals, I never thought I’d go down this route researching the roots of my Asian side of my family. This began with some of the silver coinage handed down from my late father that came in the form of old silver and bronze coins mostly from the Kwang-Tung region, Hong Kong, along with some old banknotes and documents revealing a fascinating journey made by these ancestors.
My starting point centered around my Patriarch g-great-grandfather Jin Wong who came over in 1911 as a young man. He was attracted by the allure of opportunity by the those retuning ‘young geese’ that made their fortunes after surviving their journey back from the new world. After working for the National railroad he settled in a Prairie town operating a thriving store and diner until 1962. He left behind a lovely variety of foreign silver coins as his heirloom pieces.
Then my Father ended up with the collection adding mostly Canadian and some American silver coins accompanied with old banknotes from a time when silver coins were still circulating in public before 1967. He’d let me play with the bigger silver dollars as my imaginary treasure, spending our time talking about these coins and planted in my memory the feel and value of real money.
Many years later I examined my late Father’s collection more closely, there was a group of old Chinese coins and documents I’ve never noticed. I can only vaguely remember that they came from various ancestors emigrating from China long ago. And thus began my research into the Asian side of my family tree. My brother was just as curious and we slowly began to uncover some of the stories. I hope to document these stories here on our blockchain as a repository for my future descendants to read, refer to and appreciate their ancestor’s family history.
I can’t emphasize strong enough the difficult barriers the Chinese faced coming to North America. Author Paul Yee’s book “Saltwater City” corroborates the memories of the few remaining members of my parent’s generation. The book has been an invaluable testimony of their road from hardship to full citizens in a land that promised opportunity.
“British Columbia would not be a part of Canadian confederation if it were not for the Chinese who risked their lives building the railroad through these great mountains.” ~ Numismatic Historian & NSNS President Ray Mah.
And research results...
I have no hard proof but from the preponderance of anecdotal evidence. My great grandfather of my Chinese side was a goldsmith with a shop. And usually a jeweler's shop has a large safe which often doubled as a bank as a part of the business model. There would be a very high chance that these silver saddle bars of this type passed through his hands on a typical day’s business. Such denominations of silver are often traded between business entities around agricultural goods, taxes and in some cases of the Opium trade. Yes, that dirty business. Dirty enough that my great grandfather was swindled or strong armed out of his business by his greedy partner, an event that may have led to his premature demise and his younger son fatally shot by the Hong Kong police. 😔 My father never talked about them. I get the feeling that was the real reason why my gran aunt and uncle came here is to be safe from that dirty business.
Here’s a list of my posts on these Treasured old family heirlooms;
1929 Republic of China silver 2 Jiao coins.
1919 Republic of China silver 20 Cents coins.
1941 Republic of China Patriotic Aviation Bonds.
1874cc American silver Trade Dollar; Shipwreck of the SS Japan.
I hope to post more as information that come to light in my family research.
The Final word...
This Saddle Sycee bar is a replica (counterfeit), It's the wrong size, the Assayers stamps are missing, the shape is wrong, etc. Yet, the bottom line here is that it is still 98% silver and a PERFECT addition to my pirate Booty bank where I keep my pirate treasure hidden in plain view on my coffee table!
I got it from my connection in Hong Kong at almost melt value fully understanding that he can be arrested for possession of counterfeit goods. The previous owner's QR link leads only to a deleted page as indirect evidence to the legal nature of this remarkable piece.
It sounded like he was glad to get rid of it and I am all too happy to oblige.
The Bloody Raven, Silver and gold stacking Pirate gangster!
Thank you for visiting my blog ☠️ and have a Happy Easter.
Stacking Hive, Precious metals and fun for those dark stormy days!
The #piratesunday tag is the scurvy scheme of Captain @stokjockey for #silvergoldstackers pirates to proudly showcase their shiny booty and plunder for all to see. Landlubbers arrrh… welcomed to participate and be a Pirate at heart so open yer treasure chests an’ show us what booty yea got!
References & Sources
Sycee Varieties by Stephan Tai.
Yunnan Sycee history abstract by Stephen Tai.
Auction Prices realized on Sycee silver bars.
Saltwater City, An illustrated History of the Chinese in Vancouver by Paul Yee. University of Washington Press, 1988. ISBN 0-88894-616-3
Photos are my own shot with an ancient 2018 Samsung SM-A530W or otherwise indicated.
P. Image under Pixabay
W. Wiki Commons
☠️🎃 Page Dividers by thekittygirl. ❄️🌞
Cameo Raven Brooch from The Black Wardrobe.
The 2024 Hive 0.999 Silver Round by Silversaver888.
Physical precious metals bullion stacking is only a part of my personal overall financial strategy. Meanwhile, collecting numismatics are a different set of objectives and strategy. Unless you are a complete nutcase as I am please, do your research before deciding to buy into any bullion or numismatic products.
What a wonderful piece of family history for you to share with us. I look forward to you sharing more down the road. Geneology can be extremely fun and I for one have been able to, through a great deal of assistance form others, track both maternal and paternal sides of my family back many generations. Your link to the Chinese that were a very improtant part of building the western part of Cnanada and the U.S. is so cool.
The rapid development attracted attention that Canada invited the colony of British Columbia into Canadian Confederation and promised a permanent train line to the West coast. The CPR railway was built at the cost of 4000 Chinese workers according to the Toronto Museum at the Chinese Railway Memorial. Chinese in BC believes the figure was much higher. More than 6000 with most lives lost in the dangerous mountain tunnels.
'Danger Pay' for those that take on the task in setting and lighting the explosive charges in the building of the deep tunnels.😲
I have since developed a deeper appreciation of my Chinese ancestors.
!BBH
!LUV Thanks for commenting @coinjoe
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That’s some very interesting information Kerris. Yep there is a huge black market on stuff like that. Unfortunately it’s all fake.
The real bars are worth lots in the collecting market
Starting with the name on the label 'Tian Quan Juan Ding" this so called scamy grading company had long abandoned their website. They probably made this fake but they used the right amount of silver was the one thing they got right.
To me, this is a replica of the real thing making it a perfect addition to my Booty Bank chest. My collection of replica pirate treasure that has so far fooled all my guests. I get a lot of fun mileage from it.
I think I will take it out of the box.
Thanks for chiming in D.
!PIMP
Bonus !PIMP
!BBH
!LUVThank you @geneeverett
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You received an upvote of 100% from Precious the Silver Mermaid!
Thank you for contributing more great content to the #SilverGoldStackers tag. You have created a Precious Gem!
Sorry to hear that but why the police shot him? Was that his father's partner made the police do the act.
Being connected to our ancestors and history is immensely important in order to hold our unique values, and also to value and get motivation from their efforts. Unfortunately, the present generation feels no need to remain connected to their forefathers. This mindset is deteriorating.
Thanks for sharing your collections with us. Hope you are doing well, sister ❤️
It is rumored among my elders that he was involved with a gang at the time. Being connected with a gang may have been for survival reasons but often comes with a cost in performing illegal activities on behalf of it’s leaders. One gang mentioned are the Tong but that is not confirmed or openly admitted.
Such mindset is too prevalent across all cultures and I lay the blame for myself for not taking it more seriously soon enough. My siblings and I will try to preserve as much as we can find, and in keeping with the Ching Ming tradition of respecting our elders.
Thank you @amberkashif for the opportunity to share a part of my culture and my collection with the Hive Community.
That's a reality we all need to accept. We are responsible for whatever coming generation holds. It is our responsibility to instill values and make sure to pass them on via our upbringing
Beautiful…
It is great you researched the history/ roots of your Chinese side of the family and found out a lot.
It is important that we know more about it before it is lost.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a wonderful weekend!
!HUG
My siblings and I are regretting having not documented much sooner all the stories of our parents and grandparents in regards to their achievements as a community. So few are left and the clock is ticking. We have to rely more on the current generations to share what stories that were handed down.
!LADY
!LUVThanks for the comment @littlebee4
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I know what you mean. My mum is already 91 so I can’t ask any grand parents anymore… she has been moving countries at a young ago too. Sadly her memories aren’t clear any more.
The things we discover when we get older…
I hope you get to discover more stories. Little pieces that give you a whole picture.
Anytime. Have a wonderful day 🤗
!LADY
!LUV
You beat me to the same comment!
Haha some minds think alike 😊
I am eager to learn more about your ancestry through your stories. I know that it is a wonderful feeling to know more about your roots, sis!
!BBH
!LADY
!PIZZA
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I sprinkled a few additional nuggets in around the comment section. Each building the cultural context and the times in the early 1900s. With the Caribou Gold Rush having run it's course and the railway operating for more than a decade the Chinese provided the bulk of the cheap labor in the newer developing Lumber and Fishing industries. Still more Chinese flowed into Canada and the resentment grew against anymore Asians landing ashore. I'll be digging around for more stories.
Always, with !LUV 🤗🌺❤️
!LADY
Yes, do, sis! It is all interesting!
!LADY
I enjoyed reading about your Chinese silver collection. It's fascinating to see how it ties into your family's history. Your research and storytelling are impressive, and I appreciate you sharing this piece of your heritage.
This special post that took me all week to piece together because it had to honor my parents and a part of the Ching Ming tradition was making sure this post was in keeping with that spirit. And I wanted this to be part of my official remembrance to my descendants that they have a meaningful history and legacy. The Chinese are known to respect their elders.
!LADY That is the tradition @babygirl888
Woow
That’s beautiful
You did a great job with it
That is fabulous, that you have an ancestor who worked on a project so valuable as the railroad, that linked both sides of the continent! The keepsakes you have are wonderful! I like how each one tells a story! 💜
The National railroad was the carrot that brought the gold rich colony of British Columbia into Canadian confederation.
There was a rail crew camp story that comes to mind about a Chinese camp cook was being pick on by the European members of the camp. He was always smiling as he heaped ladles full of hot stew onto the plates of his tormentors that kept verbally insulting him day in and day out.
There was a little murmur on how the meal tasted a bit off.
I'll leave this dangling and let you imagine the rest of the story. 😁
A fine write up Kerris!
You've been quiet lately.
!BEER
!PIMPThanks @punkysdad
There's so much migration history that is lost over the years and as the elderlies gradually leave us one by one, the chances of getting the full picture is getting smaller. I hope you manage to find out more before it's too late
A wonderful trove of history may be lost for good.
And I can only blame myself for not paying attention sooner, at the same time I am proud of my ancestors for their achievements no matter how small.
!LADY I just hope to preserve as much as we can find @livinguktaiwan.
When we were young, we don't normally appreciate our roots and heritage. I remember when I was a kid probably around 10 or 11, my grandma showed me her Chinese "wedding certificate". It was written on a piece of red paper. How I wished I kept hold of it, but when you're a kid, you don't care about that sort of things
I have an old original Head Tax Certificate of an ancestor dated 1911. The story here was that Canada had put up an Entry Barrier charging $500 for every Chinese immigrant landing in Canada. $500 would buy a home back then. Jin Wong didn't have enough and put all he had into a game of chance and by sheer luck won enough to pay the unfair Tax.
Yes, this is one of those crazy but memorable stories.
My being here and now was determined by a game of chance long ago. It wasn't a friendly game of Mahjong either.
!LADY
!LADY
!PIZZAStarting your collection with some silver coins inherited from your father is very touching, as well as the incredible pieces that you reflect in your publication, I love them, thanks for sharing my friend @kerrislravenhill,
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This silver bar will be a part of an heirloom for my family reminding them of a Grand parent I never met but satisfied that his surviving children he sent over to the west will live a prosperous life in a new place.
I wouldn't be here if he didn't.
!LADY
!LUV
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I love pieces that have a story behind them :)
Or looking at something from a LONG time ago and just imagining what that piece has been through to now be in your hands
This is discovered to be a replica and not the genuine thing by my Hong Kong connection. My ancestor may have handled many of the real silver bars as a part of his Jewelry business. The genuine piece would have been nice to have but that would have cost me much much more $$$. A replica made with 98% silver was what I was really after and yet makes a fine addition to my heirloom Treasure to remember him.
!PIZZA
What a very interesting story about your ancestors! I can see that you take your collections seriously. Hope you can find more interesting silvers and coins to add to your collection.
Being only a replica, this silver bar will be a part of my heirloom collection I wish to pass on to my surviving family. My descendants will always find the stories on this block chain in the future to come so as they will not be forgotten.
!LADY
That is fascinating, what a family history! I had ancestors flee their country of origins to escaped similar problems. Dirty business and money is universal and always has been, and always will be. It must have been very hard for them arriving in the west, they didn't treat Asian immigrants well and they had to work hard for everything...
Those silver pieces are awesome, I would love to add some "saddle" money to my stack. I don't have any Asian family background, but that would be such a unique item to own. I've never seen one before.
I'm glad you had a chance to see some of your families roots, I've always enjoyed doing that myself. Thanks for the awesome post, it was great!
!BBH
!LUV
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The Chinese along with most Asians at the time were paid half the normal wages of their European counterparts.
My great great grandfather was charged a $500 fee to have the privilege to land in Canada. There was widespread discrimination that prompting the Federal government to contrive a financial barrier to stem the flow of Chinese into Canada.
The Head Tax!
$500 in 1911 could buy an awful lot.
But Jin Wong found a way to pay that Tax.
♠️♥️♦️♣️
I always liked this Painting of my Uncle Michael...
What year was this painting dated?
!LUV
He passed on before I was born... I don't believe the painting has a date, so I'm guessing sometime in the late 20's or early 30's...
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wow.. that's cool!
and the raven reminds me of game of thrones! 😉😎👊
Game of Thrones?
If you're a fan of the Series have I got a silver piece to show here.
One of my crazier acquisitions.
Are you familiar with the phrase, "The three Eyed Raven?
!LOL
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awesome! :)
That's amazing!
Looks like an Indiana Jones's collection/treasure
I'm sure Professor Jones can find another more genuine Saddle bar to put in a museum. I think I will take this out of it's plastic prison and let mingle among my collection of pirate silver artifacts.
!LADYThank you dropping in @elviguitarra
Belles pièces ! 🪙 Les collections insolites, ça nous parle sur Hive. 😉
Merci mon ami, and I will continue in keeping with the spirit of my traditional and cultural practice. A priceless treasure to find and remember.
!PIZZA
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La felicito por su colección de sus cosas
Gracias @rosahermosa
Sometimes the answers I find of my family history are sad, but their memories, good or bad should be remembered with dignity and respect.
!LADY
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