The Katun (tin cash) was a common currency of Johor used over an extended period of three centuries from 16th century to the 18th century. However, I believe the period of usage for the Katun coins could have possibly started earlier than the 16th. century. This is based on unique tin katun coins in my collection that can be related to other issues of early tin currency items.
There are many varieties of the Katun coins and they can be generally categorized by the shape; circular, hexagonal and octagonal. Major Fred Pridmore in his article The Native Coinages of the Malay Peninsula - The Malaccan Group - Johor in Numismatic Circulars LXXVII, part 2 - 5 published by Spink and Sons Ltd. London in 1969 separated the Katun coins into a few categories.
Group A - Bar Type
Class I - Inscribed with legend or part of a legend on obverse and reverse
Class II - A large raised dot or pusat (a Malay word) in the centre of the raised bar. Some show traces of a legend but others appear to be uninscribed.
Group B - Round or Irregular Shapes
Class III - A remarkably uniform group both in size and style. The principal series is usually clearly stamped with th title MALIK AL-'ADIL, but some show portions of other inscriptions.
Group C - Hexagonal Shape
Class IV - Inscription on obverse and reverse
Class V - Pusat or centrally raised dot.
Group D - Octagonal Shape
Class VI - Large coins inscribed on obverse and reverse.
Class VII - Large coins, uninscribed with a pusat.
Class VII - Coins inscribed with MALIK AL-'ADIL.
In the following posts we will look at the details of each of the Class of the Katun coins as categorized by Pridmore.
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