Silver Ingot - Tiger Tongue Currency - Kingdom Of Lanchang, Laos 17th Century

Rare Silver Ingot known as tiger's tongue This is a currency of the Kingdom of Lanchang used between the 17th and 18th centuries. Lanchang currency appeared in the 14th century at the same time as the kingdom. These are silver (Hoi) or bronze (Lat) ingots, initially smooth then countermarked from the 17th century. Ours is marked with three snakes. This ingot was also used in Siam in the 18th century. It is a rare and precious testimony probably brought back by a Westerner a long time ago. I found it, with other bronze examples, at the bottom of a box, from an old family in Tarn... 12cm long 170.86g