APOLOGIES

Thank you for visiting my blog. I have not been able to update my blog for about 2 months due to unforeseen circumstances. Please bear with me. I will try my best to update the blog with new posts soon.

ITEMS FROM MY PRIVATE COLLECTION

So far my postings focus on pictures of animal currencies from a private photo collection of items found in Johor in circa 1987 and, from reference books and auction catalogues. This is intentional so as to give a background to the world of Animal Currency of the old Malay Peninsula to readers. This month I will start posting photos of items from my collection. Naturally, I will not post photos of unique and extremely rare items here. The photos of these items will be reserved and revealed in my yet to be published book on Animal Currency.

Thank you for your visit.

SPINK-TAISEI SINGAPORE COIN AUCTION CATALOGUE 3

Spink-Taisei Singapore Coin Auction 3 was held on Thursday, February 11 1988. Categorized under  Malaya was 1 large "fish money" attributed to the state of Kedah. Animal Currency are generally and usually attributed to the state of Perak.

Lot 4, Plate 1 - Kedah: Large fish money (Duit Ikan), 17th./18th. century. Size 8.5 x 3.0cm. Deep corroded patches on one side otherwise very fine and very rare. (As per catalogue description, weight information not provided).

Estimate = US$250 - US$280

Realized = ?

Fish money items are very rare but I would personally rate those in big sizes such as item Lot 4 as being extremely rare.

Note: The images posted here are for reference and educational purposes and will be immediately removed if so required by copyright owner(s).

SPINK (FOUNDED 1666)

Unless you are a serious numismatist you may not know about Spink. Please click here to know more.

SPINK-TAISEI SINGAPORE COIN AUCTION CATALOGUE 6 - ELEPHANT (LOT 37)

This item of Lot 37 is an elephant in a design that I have never seen before. Due to missing pages of the copy of catalogue that I have, I do not have the details or the catalogue description for this item. I can't quite make up what is at the elephant's back. A small portion of it could possibly be a stringing hole that is a common feature for tin animal currencies especially those is small sizes. It would be interesting to have the opportunity to physically examine this peculiar item.

 

Note: The image posted here is for reference and educational purposes and will be immediately removed if so required by copyright owner(s).

SPINK-TAISEI SINGAPORE COIN AUCTION CATALOGUE 6 - TORTOISE (LOT 30)

Lot 30, Plate 1 - Perak: Animal Currency, tin "Tortoise" money (Duit Kura-Kura), with 1 leg broken, 18th. century, weight 12.29gm (SS46). Very fine and very rare. (As per catalogue description, size information not provided).

Estimate = US$200 - US$250

Realized = ?

Note: The image posted here is for reference and educational purposes and will be immediately removed if so required by copyright owner(s).

SPINK-TAISEI SINGAPORE COIN AUCTION CATALOGUE 6 - ITEM SIMILAR TO ITEM LOT 29

Item 29 in the auction was a fish currency described as being excavated in Tanjung Pinang, Riau Island, Indonesia. In my collection is an item acquired through a dealer in Singapore that has strong similarity in design as the two items under Lot 29. However, the tail is not exactly the same as per the auction items. This item is likely to be a variety of the same issue. It is also possible that the item was excavated in Tanjung Pinang. According to the dealer who sold the item to me, the item was from a collector who had been collecting for more than 20 years.

Lot 29, Plate 1 - Item 2

Note: The image posted here is for reference and educational purposes and will be immediately removed if so required by copyright owner(s).

Item In Collection (Wight = To be provided, Length = To be provided)

SPINK-TAISEI SINGAPORE COIN AUCTION CATALOGUE 6 - FISH (LOT 24, 29 AND 27)

There were 6 lots (25 pieces) of fish shaped tin Animal Currency in the auction. Lot 24 - 3 pieces, Lot 29 - 2 pieces and Lot 27 - 5 pieces.

LOT 24

Lot 24, Plate 1 - Item 1

Lot 24, Plate 1 - Item 2

Lot 24, Plate 1 - Item 3

Lot 24, Plate 1 - Perak: Animal Currency, tin "Fish" money (Duit Ikan) (3), 18th. century (SS66). All extremely fine and very rare. (As per catalogue description, size and weight information not provided).

Estimate = US$300 - US$400

Realized = ?

LOT 29 (Below)

Lot 27, Plate 2 - Item 1

Lot 27, Plate 2 - Item2

Lot 27, Plate 2 - Item3

Lot 27, Plate 2 - Item 4

Lot 27, Plate 2 - Item5

Lot 27, Plate 2 - Perak: Animal Currency, tin "Fish" money (Duit Ikan) (5), 18th. century (SS66). All extremely fine and very rare. (As per catalogue description, size and weight information not provided).

Estimate = US$500 - US$600

Realized = ?

LOT 29 (Below)

Lot 29, Plate 1 - Item 1

Lot 29, Plate 1 - Item 2

Lot 29, Plate 1 - Perak: Animal Currency, tin "Goldfish" money (Duit Ikan) (2), 18th. century Unrecorded but excavated in Tanjung Pinang (Riau Islands, Indonesia). Very fine. (As per catalogue description, size and weight information not provided).

Estimate = US$800 - US$1,000

Realized = ?

Note: The image posted here is for reference and educational purposes and will be immediately removed if so required by copyright owner(s).

SPINK-TAISEI SINGAPORE COIN AUCTION CATALOGUE 6, 23 FEBRUARY 1989 - ANIMAL MONEY, COCKEREL

Animal Currency / Animal Money items are occasionally available at coin auctions. However, these occasions are very few and far apart and the number of such items in any auction are limited as expected due to rarity of these items.

This cockerel or fighting cock in Spink-Taisei Coin Auction in 1989 is an excellent item in extremely fine condition. The ring at the back of the item is for stringing purposes and is a common feature for tin cockerels.

Plate 1, Item 6 - Kedah and Perak: "Fighting Cock" tin money (Duit Ayam) on stand, 18th. century, with ring on back, weight 27.78gm. Extremely fine and very rare. (As per catalogue description, size information not provided).

Estimate = US$800 - US$1,000

Realized = ?

The present ownership and location of the item is not known.

Note: The image posted here is for reference and educational purposes and will be immediately removed if so required by copyright owner(s).

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 15 (OTHERS - UNIDENTIFIED FIGURE)

Item NJ 54 is the final item in the photo collection. The item does not look like an animal to me but at the same time I cannot make up what the shape really is. There are quite a number of unidentified items in my collection. I will post this items in my blogs in the future.

Once again I would like to thank Nasron Jamil for his kind permission to post images from his photo collection on my blogs. I wonder where these items are now at this present moment. I have a feeling that I will be lucky enough to rediscover a few of these items in  the future.

NJ 54

(Length - Not available)

Note - Photograph is reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 14 (OTHERS - LEAF-LIKE FIGURE)

Tin items in the shape of leaves are rare but not unusual. There are those who believe that these items are actually tortoises. Item NJ 53 below suggests that these items are not tortoises. There are similar shaped items in my collection, a few types are made of tin and interestingly there are also items that are mode of what I believe silver. Not much is known about these items. Were they a form of currency? Why in the shapes of leaves? I hope to find and collect more of these mysterious items.

NJ 52

(Length - Not available)

NJ 53

(Length - Not available)

Note - Photographs are reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 13 (RABBIT?)

This item may look like a rabbit but I am not completely convinced that it is. If this item is indeed in the shape of a rabbit then it is the only tin ingot / figure that I know of in the form of this animal.

NJ 51

 (Length 18mm)

Note - Photograph is reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 12

Item NJ 50 is an unusual piece. It looks like a deer (rusa) or a dog (anjing). It looks like it has 5 legs and that it is embedded on a mushroom-like shaped base.

NJ 50

(Length 20mm)

Note - Photograph is reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 11 (BIRDS)

There are generally three (3) types of tin bird figures and ingots; those with a base or stand, those without any stand (as like items NJ 42 to NJ 49) and those with rings (Ring Currency or Animal Ring Currency).

 

NJ 42

(Length - 28mm)

 

NJ 43

(Length - 33mm)

NJ 44

(Length - 38mm)

The head of this figure is quite similar to an item in my collection.

 

NJ 45

(Length - 34mm)

NJ 46

(Length - 50mm)

 

NJ 47

(Length - 44mm)

 

NJ 48

(Length - 25mm)

This figure looks like a duck. Tin figures in the shape of a duck is very rare.

NJ 49

(Length - 42mm)

This figure that looks like a peacock with spreading wings is extraordinary.

Note - Photographs are reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 10 (DRAGON)

Tin figures and ingots in the form of dragons although not common, are known to exist. While crocodiles are generally accepted as a sacred creature in the old Malay culture as well as other cultures around the world, dragons are more associated with the Chinese culture in this part of the world. Some suggests that the existence of dragons as Animal Money is due to the influence and involvement of the Chinese in trading activities here in the Malay Peninsula.

Tin animal dragons in a variety of postures are available in my collection. There are also items that come in similar posture as items NJ 40 and NJ 41 below however unlike these items, they do not come with a stand.

 

NJ 40

(Length - 57mm)

 

NJ 41

(Length - 58mm)

NJ 40 & NJ 41

Note - Photographs are reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 9 (LIZARD)

Item NJ 37 is the only frog item in the photo collection. Tin figures and ingots in the shapes of frogs are not common but based on known items, they come in a variety of sizes.

NJ 39

(Length - 80mm)

Note - Photographs are reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 8 (CROCODILE)

This is the only crocodile item the picture collection. It is quite similar to an item in my collection said to have been found in Seluyut, Johor during construction of a house many years ago.

NJ 38
(Length - 200mm)


Based on my knowledge so far, crocodiles from Johor usually have legs pointing to the front (as photograph above). However, crocodiles with other leg design are also known to exist. 

Note - Photograph is reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

FINAL BATCHES FROM THE PHOTO COLLECTION IN JULY

So far I have posted 37 items from the collection. In these coming few weeks I will post photos of the rest of the items for your viewing pleasure.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 7 (CRAB)

This is the only Animal Currency / Animal Money item in the shape of a crab in the picture collection. It is also the only crab item that I know of so far.

NJ 37

(Length - 93mm)

Note - Photograph is reproduced from original source taken circa 1987. 

AROUND THE NET - 2

Here you can see a photograph of the blogger's visit to the Royal Selangor Pewter featuring a few items of tin Animal Currency / Animal Money.

CALVIN-MYJOURNEY

AROUND THE NET - 1

Photographs of a variety of Animal Currency / Animal Money can be found at the following website;

IPOHWORLD, SAVING YESTERDAY FOR TOMORROW

AROUND THE NET

I'm introducing Around The Net to highlight and provide links to websites and blogs featuring Animal Currency / Animal Money that I discovered in my search be it in the form of write-ups, images or even mentions that are worth noting.

You are most welcomed to share your knowledge on the existence of such websites and blogs by posting them here.

Thank you.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 6 (TORTOISE)

Items NJ 34, NJ 35 and NJ 36 are not are "lumpy" as the tortoises of the previous post.

NJ 34
(Length - 63mm)
I have an item like this in my collection, said to have been found in the river of Malacca (Melaka).

NJ 35
(Length - 60mm)
This tortoise has legs similar to a house lizard!

NJ 36
(Length - 25mm)
This item is similar to one of the items in my collection.

Note - Photographs are reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 5 (TORTOISE)

There are 9 tortoises in the picture collection. The 6 items listed below are what I refer as "stub" head tortoise. Item NJ 29, NJ 30 and NJ 31 are with peculiar square heads or stubs, a particular type that I do not have in my collection.

NJ 28
(Length - 50mm)

NJ 29

(Length - 63mm)

NJ 30

(Length - 60 mm)
This tortoise is without a tail! Broken?

NJ 31
(Length - 70mm)

NJ 32
(Length - 33mm)

NJ 33
(Length - 32mm)

Note - Photographs are reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.

THE PHOTO COLLECTION OF NASRON JAMIL - PART 4 (FISH)

Items NJ 23 - NJ 27 - the final batch of fish items. The 27 fish items posted here may appear to be just a scroll down to many but they are very rare and putting together 27 items like this is not an easy task.

NJ 23
(Length - 34 mm)

NJ 24
(Length - 61 mm)
A weird looking fish!?

NJ 25

(Length - 36 mm)

NJ 26
(Length - 47 mm)

NJ 27
(Length - 45 mm)
A fossil looking fish!

Note - Photographs are reproduced from original source taken circa 1987.