Asia · Yunnan and Sichuan to Tibet · G051

Tea Horse Road

Brick tea carried over mountain routes in exchange for horses.

Back of Tea Horse Road: the Tea Horse Road (Chamadao) tea-for-horses exchange tradition, how a note would work, and the traits of Noun #71 — Back · the tradition

Security Edition v2

The same note set like a banknote: full engraved portrait of Noun #71, guilloche, watermark, thread, foil stripe and microtext, all printed art. What's on it

Security Edition front of Tea Horse Road: a line-engraved portrait of the full actual Noun #71 in a guilloche oval beside a watermark window, thread and holographic-look stripe — Security Edition · front

Security Edition back of Tea Horse Road: a color medallion of Noun #71 in a guilloche rosette, with the note's story — Security Edition · back

v2 front SVG ↓ v2 back SVG ↓

The tradition · c. 10th–20th c.

Tea Horse Road (Chamadao) tea-for-horses exchange

From at least the Song dynasty, Chinese states traded compressed tea from Yunnan and Sichuan for Tibetan horses; National Geographic reports about 25,000 horses a year by the 13th century.

Source: Tea Horse (National Geographic Magazine, May 2010) ↗

How a note would work

Packs are earned by carrying or delivering goods over long distances for the network and spent on goods or rides from members along the route. They are never bought or cashed out.

Design concept inspired by this tradition, not issued by or for the people who keep it. Not legal tender, not for sale, no cash value, no redemption and no investment rights.

Front SVG ↓ Back SVG ↓ Machine edition

PlaceYunnan and Sichuan to Tibet
Erac. 10th–20th c.
RegionAsia
UnitPack · Packs
Face value25 Packs
SerialGB-G051-N0071
NounActual Noun #71 ↗
Why this NounIt is right there in the name: the Tea Horse Road.
Headroad
Glassessquare black
Bodyyellow
Accessorybling anvil
Seedbg 0 · body 29 · acc 7 · head 176 · glasses 3