Anyone know much about this? It is a Kim Thanh half tael.

Discussion in 'World Coins' started by sakata, Feb 17, 2017.

  1. sakata

    sakata Devil's Advocate

    That's all I know about it. It is half an ounce of pure gold from Vietnam. These were common coins smuggled out by Vietnamese refugees is what I was told. I found a single reference to one online (http://www.globecoins.com/Product/1960_Gold_Leaf_Wafer_Tael_Vietnam_Kim_Thanh_Refinery_Co_1485/) but it doesn't provide any information.

    I bought it 7 years ago and have been wondering about it ever since. I thought that with all experience here someone may be able to tell me more. The pictures are probably oversized by about 20% - it is very thin.

    GBVNM001#1.JPG GBVNM001#2.JPG
     
    FryDaddyJr and Theodosius like this.
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. RTScott1978

    RTScott1978 UK/Commonwealth Collector

    Found a couple examples sold at Goldberg auctions:

    http://images.goldbergauctions.com/php/lot_auc.php?site=1&sale=75&lot=4062&lang=1

    http://images.goldbergauctions.com/php/lot_auc.php?site=1&sale=75&lot=4061&lang=1

    Both lot descriptions don't mention it being a half tael, however.

    Also found one on this site, which notes that it's catalogue number is X# B1:

    http://www.globecoins.com/Product/1960_Gold_Leaf_Wafer_Tael_Vietnam_Kim_Thanh_Refinery_Co_1485/

    Very interesting piece. I've never seen one, or anything quite like it, until now.
     
    sakata likes this.
  4. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

  5. sakata

    sakata Devil's Advocate

  6. sakata

    sakata Devil's Advocate

    Thanks. Interesting that the both realized exactly the same price but their weights are considerably different: 14.5gm vs 16.5gm. Mine is about 15.5gm. That's close enough to a 25% premium.

    That the same link I posted. Tael is apparently a measure of weight, not currency.
     
  7. scottishmoney

    scottishmoney Buh bye

    They were a very common store of value in a country where people didn't trust paper money. A number of these pieces came over to the states after the war ended in 1975. They didn't trade on the stated weight of a tael, but rather by the weight of the gold coupled with the price of gold.

    My father in law bought some of these and held onto them for years before sellilng them to a dealer for melt value.

    Now they are somewhat of a collectable - particularly so if you have the wrapping papers they came in.
     
    sakata likes this.
  8. sakata

    sakata Devil's Advocate

    Thanks scott. I first read about them in The ABCs of Gold Investing by Michael J. Kosares, the owner of USAGold. He said he bought them from Vietnam refugees, but he never mentioned a premium. They seem to sell for a significant one now. I wonder if that will always be the case.
     
  9. scottishmoney

    scottishmoney Buh bye

    More so now, a lot of them got melted down. My father in law sold them to a smelter. I would imagine a lot of people saw them as not very collectable, forgetting the connection to the Vietnam war. I kind of wisht I had bought one of the little packets, if I remember correctly it had two of the large taels, a half tael and a small snippet cut off of a larger sheet. At that time though I didn't have cash to spare on those.
     
  10. RTScott1978

    RTScott1978 UK/Commonwealth Collector

    Whoops, sorry about that link. It was late last night and I didn't realize I was posting the lame link as you already had.
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page