About Tae Meng Thong Po Medal: Thailand's First Commemorative Coin, Reign of King Rama IV
Compiled from partner sources; under review and editing by our team.
Translated from Thai by AI and not yet reviewed by our team. Names and royal titles may need correction.
History
In 1864 (B.E. 2407), on the occasion of the 60th birthday of King Mongkut (Rama IV), His Majesty commanded the production of a birthday commemorative medal, one type in gold and one in silver, weighing 4 baht, or 60 grams, equal to the number of years of his age. The medals were to be bestowed as keepsakes, and the King also permitted them to be worn like royal decorations. Because the medal bears Chinese characters on the reverse, read in the Teochew dialect as "Tae Meng Thong Po" (แต้ เม้ง ทง ป้อ), meaning "currency of Tae Meng," which was the Chinese name of King Mongkut, it is popularly known as the Tae Meng medal. The piece is regarded not only as a coin (that is, it carries a face value and is legal tender for settling debts) but also as the first commemorative medal of Thailand. It has a further distinction: the King granted royal permission for it to be worn like a royal decoration.
Furthermore, the royal birthday ceremony was formally instituted for the first time only in the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV). In earlier times people held the belief that anyone who knew the day, month and year of his own birth might use it in the practice of magic and occult arts. For this reason, earlier kings did not have their birthdays celebrated in any way.
The medal shown in the photograph is of the silver type, in fairly complete condition, with a natural silver-colored surface.
On the reverse, Chinese characters appear in the four directions, with a kaew ching duang pattern and the words "กรุงสยาม" (Krung Siam, i.e. Siam) at the center.
The lower image shows the medal arranged in a set with the coins of 2 baht, 1 baht, 2 salung, 1 salung, 1 fueang and 2 pai, which makes a very beautiful display. In fact, this set of coins of the reign of King Mongkut was designed with great elegance and grace, arranged like a graduated vine. Today this set is regarded as a World Class Collection, popular and keenly sought after by collectors around the world.
Portrait photograph of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V).
Wearing the Great Crown of Victory (Phra Maha Phichai Mongkut), 1864 (B.E. 2407), the year in which he reached the age of 60.
Design
- Obverse
- The Great Crown (Phra Maha Mongkut) emblem, its tip radiating rays, flanked on either side by a tiered umbrella (chat). Floral scrollwork in flame form is interspersed within the field. Thirty-two stars encircle the rim, signifying 32 fueang, equal to a weight of 1 tamlung. The rim is encircled by a pattern of flower stamens.
- Reverse
- A kaew ching duang (interlocking jewel) pattern, also called a honeycomb pattern, with the Thai inscription "กรุงสยาม" (Krung Siam, i.e. Siam) at the center. Chinese characters appear in the four directions, read in the Teochew dialect as "Tae Meng Thong Po" (แต้เม้งทงป้อ), meaning "currency of Tae Meng."
