As a currency, silver has a long history in China. Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, gold has gradually withdrawn from circulation, and the status of silver has been rising day by day, and silver ingots have become one of the basic currencies in ancient times. Silver ingots were called silver collars before the Song Dynasty. Silver collars appeared in the Three Kingdoms, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and became more and more perfect in Sui and Tang Dynasties. In the Tang Dynasty, silver coins were mainly silver cakes and silver collars, generally in the shape of long strips, cakes and boats. In the Song Dynasty, especially in the Southern Song Dynasty, silver coins were widely used, and more silver ingots were unearthed in various places during the Song and Jin Dynasties. The shape of silver coins in Song Dynasty is mainly collar, which is wider and thicker than that in Tang Dynasty. The four corners of the front face are slightly tilted, showing a weight shape, and the two arcs at both ends are waist-shaped. The shapes of silver ingots of Liao, Xixia and Jin are not much different from those of Song Dynasty. The shape of the silver ingot cast in Yuan Dynasty followed the shape of the silver collar in Jin Dynasty, with a bow around the waist, a slightly concave front and many silk patterns around it.

Since the beginning of Ming Dynasty, the silver ingot casting has made remarkable development. The length of silver ingots in Ming Dynasty was shorter than that in Yuan Dynasty, but the thickness increased, the waist became smaller, the arcs at both ends disappeared, and the periphery increased, especially at both ends, forming a pair of wings. The Ming Dynasty laid the foundation for the circulation of silver in later generations. Most of the silver ingots we see today are from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and the early years of the Republic of China. This is mainly because silver ingots became the main currency in circulation during this period, and folk collections prevailed, so there were relatively many silver ingots handed down. But it is rare that a large number of silver ingots in the previous dynasty were well preserved because of melting and casting, and most of them were unearthed soon. Therefore, people's collections of silver ingots are mainly silver ingots issued in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. After all, the silver ingots in Ming and Qing dynasties are more standardized in casting process, weight, inscription and shape, and their collection value should not be underestimated.

the opium war

After the Opium War, a large number of foreign silver (see silver dollar) flowed in and the homemade silver dollar became popular, which did not fundamentally change or replace the status of the silver system. The mixed currency system meets the needs of foreign capital in terms of financial arrangements for foreign trade and exchange rate changes with the pound. 1934 announced the abolition of two yuan, silver is no longer used.