Dear Forum Members,

Attached are a number of photos of a Burmese, animal-shaped weight. Since I'm uncertain how many photos I can attach to a single thread-message, I'll start with photos of a single weight. If this posting seems to work, I will post follow-up threads with photos of additional weights.

I don't believe that my weights are particularly 'special' in terms of condition or type. However, I would be grateful for opinions about them, including the type, approximate age, and likelihood that they are genuine or fake.

The photo attached herewith shows, I believe, a 30 gram To (or Chinthe?)

Hi Peter,
your lion is a To (T2), 2 Tical, ca 1680 and genuine.
As you say all the pieces are no special weights. But according to the photos they all seem to be genuine and easy to identify.
I suppose you have some "special" weights?
All the best
hartmutmollat

Dear forum members,

I am posting a few more sets of photos, once again, with the hopes of getting assessments as to type/category of weight, estimated production date, and whether genuine or not.

The first set is a Hintha, weight 162 grams. When I initially purchased I did not notice anything that would indicate it might be fake. However, later I began to wonder about the tail, which seems a bit sharp at the tip (photo 4). I also wonder if the metal comprising the back tail of the bird is too thin (photo 5)? I would be grateful for views about this.


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The To weighs 77 grams, and generally has a genuine appearance to me.

However, the tip of the tail is a bit pointier than I might expect from an old weight. Is the pointy tail indicative that it might not be genuine after all?


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The Chinthe is 159 grams, and generally looks good to me. The only thing I was wondering about is the fact that, when I rubbed/scratched the bottom of the weight with a coin, I could see a bit of silvery colored metal coming through the otherwise dark patina. Unfortunately, it is a bit difficult to see this in the photo (#5).

I am certainly no metallurgist. Is it normal to see a lighter color metal when one scratches a weight with an apparently dark patina?


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The hintha is 8 grams, and generally appears fine. Again, though, I’ve noticed that the base has a different, somewhat brassy color, as compared with the rest of the weight. Genuine or fake?


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Dear Peter,

all your animal-shaped weights are genuine and in good condition

1. Hintha 1C (H1C) 10 Tical (high standard of 16,33 g/Tc), 9star mark, ca. 1760 (estimated), typical tail
2. To 2 (T2) 5 Tical (lower standard of ca. 15 g/Tc), tail going down. Main mark in front of the base (circle), a 4star on the left side. Ca. 1680 (estim.)
3. Chinthe 2A (C2A), 10 Tical, high standard, 9star mark. Nice copper inlays. Ca 1760 (estim.)
4. Hintha 3A1 (H3A1) 1/2 Tical, high standard. The squat form in combination with the 6star mark indicate to this type. Ca. 1820 (estim.)

The patina of the bases is normally thin and may give an aspect different from the rest of the animal.

All the best! hartmutmollat

Dear Hartmut,

Thank you very much again for your informative response. The weights become more interesting as I learn more about them.

With regard to the T2, 5 Tical weight, what is, or could be, the significance of the secondary mark (the 4 star mark on the left side)? As I understand it, the main mark probably signified that the weight was in some way considered ‘official’ by those using it. Would the secondary mark have provided additional information, related to place of manufacture, or something else? Was it put onto the weight at the time of manufacture, or later?

The estimated dates of manufacture are certainly interesting to know. I am curious about how you went about determining estimated manufacture dates for the various weight types. Are these mainly drawn from contemporaneous written accounts by European travelers in the area? Or written Burmese accounts? Or archaeological evidence? Or some other authority?

I really do appreciate all your insights about these weights.

Best regards, Peter