Minh Mang silver bar

Minh Mang silver bar from the Royal Treasury

Private issue silver bar

Kim-Thanh golden leaf

Minh Mang silver bar

No. 1. - Obverse: THAI-BINH-HUNG-BAO.
Reverse: The character DINH, the name of the Dynasty.

No. 2. - Obverse: same as before.
Reverse: plain. Coins made by the king [][] TIEN-HOANG. White copper.

The former Le Dynasty. - 981-1010.

General LE-HOAN ascended the throne under the name of [][] THIEN-PHUOC, and, following the policy initiated by his predecessor, secured peace on the frontiers by successful wars against China and Ciampa.

His son and successor, called LONG-VIET, was murdered by his brother [][] NGOA-TRIEU, three days after he had come to power. This prince, whose conduct was extremely cruel and bad, soon afterwards proclaimed himself king and committed every kind of excess and crime, inventing new tortures and ruining the country in every way. With his death the LE Dynasty came to an end.

No. 3. - Obverse: THIEN-PHUOC-TRAN-BAO, or provincial coin of Thien-phuoc. At that time, as some fifty years before in China, the provinces of Annam were called TRAN.
Reverse: The character LE, the name of the Dynasty.

No. 4. - Obverse: Only the character LE in the lower part of the square hole.
Reverse: plain.

The above two coins were cast in the 5th moon of the 5th year of [][] DAI-HAN (986). They were made principally of white copper, and are rather smaller than the ordinary Chinese cash.