Abstract
The Hồng Đức thông bảo coinage of Emperor Thánh Tông (1460-1497) of the Lê Dynasty can be divided in three types according to both the type and the calligraphy, with type 3 characterised by heavy calligraphy and thick characters. Fast Neutron Activation Analysis was performed on about thirty coins. Elemental analyses clearly show that these three types exhibit different compositions. But contrary to the expected results, the alloy of type 3 is the richest in copper and therefore the most costly, whereas type 1 showing the best calligraphy contains the highest proportions of lead. Given the lack of historical sources and reliable archaeological data, the elemental composition provide criteria to propose a relative chronology of the different types of Hồng Đức thông bảo by comparing the composition of former and later coins.
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