From early 1400' until well past the middle of the 19th. century,
tin ingots in a variety of shapes and sizes were used as money on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula (Shaw & Kassim, 1971).
THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO

Click map for bigger version at my Obsolete Tin Currency blog.

The use of tin currencies issued by the Malay Peninsula was not restricted to areas in the peninsula but extends to a large area in the Malay Archipelago. Although the term Malay Archipelago is widely used, there is no official definition for this area. The widely accepted definition would include Malaysia (the Malay Peninsula, including southern Thailand that connects the Peninsula to the Asian mainland), Brunei, Singapore, Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and islands in the waters surrounded by these large islands. (Source - Bank Negara Malaysia, 1995. Pameran Matawang Perdagangan Kepulauan Melayu (18 Mei - 14 Jun 1995) Unit Muzium Matawang, Bank Negara Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, p. 9.)

LIST OF KNOWN FORMS OF ANIMAL CURRENCY / ANIMAL MONEY


Tortoise - Kura Kura (Listed) [RRR]
Crocodile - Buaya (Listed) [RRR]
Lizard - Cicak (Known to exist) [RRRR]
Snake - Ular (Known to exist) [RRRR]
Frog - Katak (Known to exist) [RRRR]

Elephant (Listed) [RRR]
Goat - Kambing (Listed) [RRRR]
Rabbit - Arnab (?)

Cockerel - Ayam (Listed) [RRR]
Bird - Burung (Various types) (Listed) [RRR]

Grasshopper - Belalang (Listed) [RRRR]
Other Insects - Serangga (Several types) (Known to exist) [RRRR]

Fish - Ikan (Various types) (Listed) [RRR]
Sea Horse - Kuda Laut (Known to exist) [RRRR]
Crab - Ketam (Known to exist) [RRRR]
Lobster - Udang Kara (Known to exist) [RRRR]
Sea Shell - Siput (Known to exist) [RRR]

Dragon - Naga (Known to exist) [RRRR]
Sea-Serpent - Naga laut (Known to exist) [RRRR]

Note:
Listed = in the Encyclopaedia of the Coins of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei 1400 - 1967
Known to exist = in author's collection and/or known to exist by author
? = Known item in bad condition to determine with certainty
Rarity is based on author's grading.
DEGREE OF SCARCITY

S - Scarce
R - Rare
RR - Very Rare
RRR - Extremely Rare
RRRR - Highest state of rarity
UNIQUE - Only one piece known to exist

Saturday, May 22, 2010

TIN INGOTS

In a book entitled Coins of North Malaya by William Shaw and Mohd. Kassim Haji Ali published by Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (1971) it was mentioned that from early 1400' until well past middle of the 19th. century, tin ingots in a variety of shapes and sizes were used as money on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula (p. 17). Although used for a period of approximately 450 years (according to this book) it is a mystery that not much is known about these ingots.


The Coins of North Malaya by William Shaw and Mohd. Kassim Hj. Ali,
published by Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (1971).

The book in brief.

This 48-page book covers the coins from the Malay states of Kedah, Kelantan-Patani and Terengganu. The book gives good coverage on coinages from these states. The coverage on Animal Currency however was only in two paragraphs (page 17 and 18). Figure 12 on page 18 presented three sketches of the Animal Currency / Ring Currency; a two-ring item with perching cockerel on top, a two-ring and one-ring item both without cockerel. The book included twelve plates (i.e. pages with images of items) but no Ring Currency items were presented.

Here is where you can purchase the book.
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