Item number: A2875

Year: AD 1909

Material: Silver

Size: 20.1 x 20.1 x 1.2 mm

Weight: 3.75 g

Manufactured by: Royal Thai Mint, Bangkok

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2020

This is a one-baht silver coin issued in AD 1909 during the reign of King Rama V of the Chakri Dynasty in Thailand.

The obverse of the coin features a right-facing portrait of King Rama V, depicted wearing a European-style military uniform. Flanking the portrait on both sides is the Thai inscription “สยาม มหาราช”, which translates to “Siam Maharaj” or “Great King of Siam.”

The reverse of the coin features the three-headed elephant deity, a figure of great reverence in Thai culture. Each of the elephant’s heads is adorned with a royal crown. According to Hindu mythology, this divine elephant—often identified as Erawan (Airavata in Sanskrit)—served as the celestial mount of Indra, the god of thunder and rain, and is described as a radiant white elephant of immaculate purity.

Encircling the image is an inscription in Thai script, which includes the country name “สยามรัฐ” (Siam State), the denomination “หนึ่งบาท” (One Baht), and the Buddhist Era year “๒๔๖๒” (B.E. 2462), corresponding to AD 1909.

King Rama V, born Chulalongkorn, received a Western-style education during his youth under the tutelage of Anna Leonowens, a British governess. As a result, he became fluent in English from an early age. Upon ascending the throne in AD 1868, the young monarch became the first Thai king to embark on diplomatic visits to Europe, forging ties with various royal courts. He later sent his sons abroad for formal education in European institutions.

During his reign, Rama V implemented extensive domestic reforms—modernising the administrative, legal, and military systems—and adeptly navigated the geopolitical tensions between Britain and France in Southeast Asia. By leveraging the rivalry between these colonial powers, he successfully preserved Thailand’s sovereignty, establishing it as a buffer state and preventing it from falling under colonial rule.

In recognition of his legacy, Thailand’s premier institution of higher education, Chulalongkorn University, was named in his honour.

物件編號: A2875

年代: 公元 1909 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 20.1 x 20.1 x 1.2 mm

重量: 3.75 g

製造地: 泰國曼谷皇家鑄幣廠

來源: 福君錢幣 2020

這是一枚公元1909年，泰國的扎克里王朝在拉瑪五世統治期間，發行鑄造的面額1泰銖銀幣。

錢幣正面是身穿歐式戎裝，面朝右側的拉瑪五世肖像。肖像左右兩側的泰文是頭銜「สยาม มหาราช」(暹羅大王)。

錢幣背面是在泰國文化中扮演崇高地位的三頭象神，象神的每一個頭上都戴著一頂皇冠。根據印度教的傳說，三頭象神是因陀羅往來人間和天堂的坐騎，其樣貌為潔白無瑕的大象。大象周圍的環形銘文，分別是國名「สยามรัฐ」(暹羅)、面額「หนึ่งบาท」(1泰銖) 和佛曆標示的發行年份「๒๔๖๒」(2462) ，相當於公元1909年。

拉瑪五世的本名為朱拉隆功，於太子期間接受英國家教安娜·李奧諾文斯的教育，故從小就能說流利的英語。公元1868年，年輕的朱拉隆功登基為國王後，率先出訪歐洲國家和各國王室建立友誼，後續也將兒子們都送往歐洲求學。拉瑪五世在位期間於國內進行多項改革，對外則巧妙利用英法兩國在東南亞的矛盾維繫泰國作為緩衝國免於成為殖民地的命運。至今泰國最高學府朱拉隆功大學以其名字命名作為紀念。