广西省坤寳荣10.5 两方槽锭。地方课税锭。重370.75 克。顶部戳记：坤宝荣。右戳（被损毁）：广西足色，左戳：甲午八月，中央戳记意义不明，侧戳：正印包换。深灰色包浆，缝隙及底板色泽更为浓郁，饶有趣味。戳记深打，字体笔划清晰。可惜有右侧戳记铭文被损毁，但我们似乎找到戳记似乎一样的另一枚银锭，而色字仍隐约可见。瑕不掩瑜，趣味十足的版别，必定能得到藏家垂青。<em>中央椭圆戳记令人费解。或是自创字体，火火或指炼制熔炉，巳于地支排行第六，组合起来可能是第六号熔炉的意思，但仍需深入研究方能得知推测是否属实。</em> <em>华夏评级备注后加戳。编者相信戳记与银锭出于同一年代，但或许并非戳于银锭铸造之时。参考书中图版银锭并未展示银锭侧面，其馀银锭亦无侧面照片或列明额外铭文</em>。(t) CHINA. Guangxi Fangcaoding. Provincial Square Trough Ingot. Silver 10.5 Local Tax Ingot, CD (1894). Emperor Guang Xu. Grade: VERY FINE Details.Peng-pg. 241 # 2 (same stamps). Weight: 370.75 gms. Top stamp: Lian Bao Rong (Lianbao County); Right stamp (effaced): Guang Xi Zu Se (Guangxi standard purity); Left stamp: Jia Wu Ba Yue (1894, 8th Month); Central stamp: Meaning unknown; Side stamps: Zheng Yin Bao Huan (Correct and guaranteed). This interesting ingot displays light attractive gray tone with richer coloration in the crevasses and protected areas. The stamps are deeply impressed with good definition of the characters. Unfortunately, the right stamp has been effaced obscuring the inscription, but we were able to locate one other example with what appears to be all the same stamps, though obscured most of Se is still visible. Despite its shortcomings, a presentable example with interesting stamps that is sure to pique the interests of specialists. <em>The central oval stamp seems to be an enigma with an unknow meaning. It appears to be a compound character of Hua Hua (double fire) in the upper portion of the character and Si, the 6th branch of the twelve Earthly branches of the sexagenary cycle, in the bottom portion. As the written Chinese language is based on pictographs it is possible that it was a special character known only to the silver smith making the ingot to indicate which furnace produced it, i.e. the 6th furnace. Unfortunately, without further documentation this is just a guess and would need additional scholarly research.</em><em></em><em>It is important to point out that the Hua Xia insert states Hou Jia Chuo (Stamped later). It is of the opinion and belief of this cataloger that the stamps are indeed contemporary to the time, but perhaps not from the same establishment. The example plated in Peng does not show the sides, nor do they show the sides of any of this type or list any additional inscriptions. </em>
