Thailand 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, and 2 Baht 1860 to 1869

The Kingdom of Thailand (????? '????????), formerly known as Siam, is a constitutional monarchy located in the center of mainland southeast Asia between Burma and Laos. It is the only country in south and southeast Asia that was never colonized by an European power. In this description we are going to talk about coins made by 2 rulers: Rama IV (Phra Chom Klao 'Mongkut'),1851-1868 and Rama V (Phra Maha Chulalongkorn), 1868-1910.

Dating this coin is a challenge for Westerners because they use Buddhist Era (BE) dates which are 543 years ahead of Western (Gregorian) dates, or Rattanakosin Era (RS) dates which are 1781 years behind Western dates.

Approximate characteristics are:

1/16 Baht (1 Sik) -- about 12 mm, 1 gram, silver made only in 1860
1/8 Baht (Fuang) -- 15 mm, 1.89 to 1.94 grams, silver made in 1864 and 1869
1/4 Baht (1 Salu'ng) -- 21 mm, 3.71 grams, silver made in 1860 and 1864
1/4 Baht (1 Salu'ng) -- 19 mm, 3.82 grams, silver made in 1869
1/2 Baht (2 Salu'ng) -- 25 mm, 7.55 grams, 0.224 troy ounces silver made in 1860
1 Baht -- 30 mm, 15.45 grams, 0.447 ounces silver made in 1860
1 Baht -- 28 mm, 14.90 to 15.45 grams, silver made in 1869
2 Baht -- 36 mm, 30.2 grams, 0.874 ounces silver made only in 1863

The monetary system is:
2 Sik = 1 Fuang
2 Fuang = 1 Salu'ng
4 Salu'ng = 1 Baht

There are other coins, made in copper, brass, and gold, with similar patterns, but this page covers only silver coins. These are valuable coins in high grades, with catalog values as shown below. If you have a nice-looking specimen, take it to a knowledgeable collector or professional coin dealer for an in-person appraisal.

1/16 BAHT
worn: $15 US dollars catalog value
average circulated: $30
well preserved: $125
fully uncirculated: $400

1/8 BAHT
worn: $4 US dollars catalog value
average circulated: $9
well preserved: $45
fully uncirculated: $150

1/4 BAHT
worn: $12 US dollars catalog value
average circulated: $25
well preserved: $120
fully uncirculated: $350

1/2 BAHT
worn: $50 US dollars catalog value
average circulated: $110
well preserved: $200
fully uncirculated: $400

1 BAHT
worn: $13 US dollars catalog value
average circulated: $25
well preserved: $125
fully uncirculated: $350

2 BAHT
worn: $200 US dollars catalog value
average circulated: $400
well preserved: $800
fully uncirculated: $1500

These are catalog values, not actual values. Use our Terminology page to convert from one to the other.

Augusto Jardenil, the denomination is indicated by the number of stars outside the chakra; 8 stars = 1 Baht. So your coin is 1 Baht 1860 or 1869.

The Chakra is the symbol of the God Vishnu and the mark of the Bangkok Dynasty. It varies slightly in design between issues, being very ornate on ceremonial issues.

The coin in the picture is from the Heritage World Coin Auctions and was sold for (are you ready?) $2600 US dollars during a 2014 auction. The high price relative to catalog value shows that catalogs are only general price guides and not absolute fact. If you are selling valuable coins, it is wise to employ a high-quality auctioneer, because sometimes you can do much better than catalogs indicate.

As always, CoinQuest is indebted to Heritage for use of their amazing coin photos.
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