SALUNG: COIN OF SIAM (THAILAND)
1 salung, 1919: Kingdom of Siam
Until 1939, Thailand was called Siam (in some cases — until 1949).
Ruler: Vajiravudh (Thai "วชิราวุธ") — 6th monarch of Siam well known as king Rama VI (reign during 1910-1925).
Date on coin: BE 2462 by the Buddhist Era (Buddhist calendar or Calendar of the Lord Buddha) = 1919 (Gregorian calendar).
สยาม รัฐ - ๒๔๖๒: Siam state - 2462.
หนึ่ง สลึง: one salung.
Mythical multi-headed white elephant Airavata (typical character of Siamese culture, heraldic symbol).
มหา วชิราวุธ สยามิ นทร์: Maha Vajiravudh Siamni (the title of a monarch).
Portrait of the King.
Mintage: 7.860.000.
- Silver (0.650): 20 mm - 3.7 g
- Reference price: 8$
COIN SALUNG — WHERE & WHEN (coins catalog: by names & emitents)
- THAILAND (14th-20th centuries) — AYUTTHAYA KINGDOM + KINGDOM OF SIAM: salung = 1/4 baht
SALUNG (สลึง) as coin name refers to two types of Thai (or rather Siamese: until 1939 Thailand was called Siam) coins that were 1/4 baht.
It is about:
- Siamese protocoins in the form of spherical silver ingots of irregular shape. These coins did not contain images, but they were stamped with the designation of the mint and the ruling dynasty. The last time such specific currency signs were issued was in the middle of the 19th century, while the date of appearance of the first salungs is unknown. Some sources speak of the 14th and 15th centuries, but the accuracy of these data cannot be verified.
- The second type of salungs are silver coins of the usual format for us. They were minted in the first quarter of the 20th century and were equivalent to 25 satang.
The name salung coin comes from Old Khmer sliṅ ("unidentified weight"). It is also known that salung is a Thai unit of gold weight, equal to 3.75 grams.
