China/Burma/Laos/Thailand, Token

In the border area between China, Burma, Laos and Thailand, a net of gambling halls emerged in the 18th century. As play money the gamblers used porcelain tokens of various values. The tokens – we know more than athousand different types – were all hand-crafted and hand-lettered. Because of acute shortage of small change, they were also used as currency on local markets and in opium houses.