The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 4, January 28, 2007, Article 24

THE COIN ROOM OF THE THAILAND NATIONAL MUSEUM

Howard A. Daniel III writes: "I received the following from an old
friend and numismatist in Bangkok by the name of Ronachai Krisadaolarn.
Your item last week, HANDBOOK, VIDEO AND TRAINING COURSE FOR NUMISMATIC
CURATORS, is sure needed by the National Museum in Thailand, but it is
too late for many of the items in their collection.  But, as he
indicates, the most interesting find is that there are Bank of
Indochina notes denominated in Ticals with serial number 001!"

Ronachai Krisadaolarn writes: "Today I visited the National Museum.
The Coin Room is now open, redecorated and air conditioned. Most of
the silver coins including the Pot Duang have been polished and many
look whizzed (metal brushed).  Many Dvaravati coins now have a mirror
finish. The Krung Thep silver Fuang and the Mongkut Pra Tao transitional
coins are also polished.

"The Two-Baht gold bullets that were in the Gold Room are now in the
Coin Room. All are Rama V. All the One Baht Gold Pot Duang look like
Rama V. Many are so displayed that they cannot be easily been seen.

"Strangely there is a Siam Commercial Bank ATM machine in the coin
room, a working model, not as a museum piece. The one happy surprise
are the Banque de l'Indo Chine banknotes. Previously there are only
photocopies. Now there are three notes, 80, 20 and 5 Ticaux. All look
used. Only the reverse of the 80 is shown so I could not tell if it
was a specimen.

"The 50 and 5 Ticals (Ticaux in French) were circulation notes. Both
have the Serial Number 001 and the Prefix A1. This is a major find as
these are the first Banque de l'Indo Chine notes known with a real
serial number. All others are known only as specimens with 000 as the
serial number."

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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