1841-7 Vietnam 3T KM-275 NGC AU55. This undated silver three Tien piece from Vietnam has dark toning except in protected areas. The coin is well struck with full details on the sun, the obverse characters, and the dragon. Just a touch of wear is seen on the high points, in keeping with the grade. The surfaces are original, clean, and free individual distractions.
The obverse shows four Chinese characters around a central sun. The inscription is Thieu Tri Thong Bao. The reverse shows a small dragon. The silver coin weighs 13.500 grams.

The Emperor Thieu Tri was the son of Minh Mang. He reigned from February 1841 until his death in 1847. As emperor, he followed conservative policies including isolation and Confucianism. He had some curiosity about the West, but, like his father, he was suspicious of outsiders. When French missionaries ignored a ban from operating in the country, Thieu Tri began to imprison them. In response the French government sent a military expedition to Indochina (Vietnam) to protect French interests and free the missionaries. In 1845 there was almost a clash with the United States when the warship USS Constitution was sent to force Thieu Tri to free an illegal French missionary who had come to Vietnam repeatedly. In 1847 a French task force destroyed the Vietnamese coastal forts and several junks. The emperor ordered that all Christians be executed, but the order was not put into effect, and Thieu Tri died soon afterwards.