Pod Duang 1 Fuang

These coins were cast into bullet-like cylinders, a practical design that let them string together for easy carrying in the markets of old Siam.

That shape came from pouring molten silver into molds, often using recycled metal from trade goods like Spanish reales. Weighing about 3.75 grams each, they served as the 1 fuang denomination during the Ayutthaya Kingdom's peak. Variations in size and purity were common, reflecting the era's informal minting.

We don't know the exact mintage figures; royal archives from that time are fragmentary at best. Still, they've turned up in hoards across Southeast Asia, hinting at widespread use.

Some call them "bullet coins," which isn't far off—more like portable ingots than the coins we're used to.