This 1990 publication by the Malaysia Numismatic Society besides the article by Mohd. Kassim Hj. Ali on Hoard of Malay States Coins Found At Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands, Indonesia includes 2 more articles on tin currencies of the Malay Peninsula. First, Tin Coinage of Sultan Ali Iskandar Shah of Johor (1855 - 1877) by Ishar Abdul Latiff and Unlisted Tin and Gold Coins of the Malay States of Johor, Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah and Perak by Saran Singh.
Published more than 20 years ago in limited print, it is very difficult to get a copy of this publication. The best bet would be from members of the society who were members then.
Showing posts with label Mohd. Kassim Ali. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mohd. Kassim Ali. Show all posts
Monday, June 14, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
DISCOVERY - HOARD OF MALAY STATES COINS FOUND AT TANJUNG PINANG, RIAU ISLAND, INDONESIA (PART 2)
Here are the images presented by Kassim in his article. The condition of the images are not so good due to poor source condition. These items do not come with details such as size and weight.
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 1 - 3 - Main trunks from the Terengganu coin tree.
A coin tree cast in the shape of a sun ray using the "lost wax" method.
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Four items of Ring Currency described as - Kedah one cent 'cockerel' animal currency.
An elephant described as - Perak/Selangor 'elephant' animal currency.
It looks like there is a stringing hole at the back of the elephant, such a feature on elephants is extremely rare. Except for the above item, I do not know of any other elephant with a stringing hole.
Chinese cash tin coin with branch.
A strange looking item described as - Currency in the form of a goat.
(Poor image due to poor source condition)
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3Image 1 - 3 - Main trunks from the Terengganu coin tree.
A coin tree cast in the shape of a sun ray using the "lost wax" method.
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3Image 1 - 3, described as - Perak/Selangor "cockerel" animal Currency.
A 17th. century Kedah cockerel coin with two rings.
A 17th. century Kedah cockerel coin with two rings.
Four items of Ring Currency described as - Kedah one cent 'cockerel' animal currency.Note that the items were described as "animal currency" despite the fact that they do not have any any animal feature in their designs.
An elephant described as - Perak/Selangor 'elephant' animal currency.It looks like there is a stringing hole at the back of the elephant, such a feature on elephants is extremely rare. Except for the above item, I do not know of any other elephant with a stringing hole.
Chinese cash tin coin with branch.
A strange looking item described as - Currency in the form of a goat.(Poor image due to poor source condition)
DISCOVERY - HOARD OF MALAY STATES COINS FOUND AT TANJUNG PINANG, RIAU ISLAND, INDONESIA (PART 1)
Old coins and relics are known to have been found over the years in the Malay Peninsula (Malaysia) and Malay Archipelago (in this case Indonesia and southern Thailand) but not many involve discovery of a large quantity of items and not many are reported or made known to general public. Perhaps one of the most known discovery was the one at Tanjung Pinang around middle of 1980's.
Mohd. Kassim in his article in Saga Pertubuhan Numismatik Malaysia, 21 Anniversary 1968 - 1989, published in 1990 by Malaysia Numismatik Society shared his experience in having a first look at the items from the famous discovery that he described as a "numismatist's dream come true".
The findings according to Kassim fills a significant gap in the numismatic history of the Malay Peninsula. A new light was shed on how earlier coins were cast by the "lost wax" method, how coins were produced and how the technology developed.
The items found include:
According to Kassim many of the items found ready market in Singapore. Perhaps certain items were acquired by Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia such as the above item in block image but most items are "lost" or tucked away in private collections. Approximately 25 years after their discoveries the fate of these fascinating items are not known.
Images of some of the items found at Tanjung Pinang, Riau, Indonesia will be included in a future post soon.
Mohd. Kassim in his article in Saga Pertubuhan Numismatik Malaysia, 21 Anniversary 1968 - 1989, published in 1990 by Malaysia Numismatik Society shared his experience in having a first look at the items from the famous discovery that he described as a "numismatist's dream come true".
The findings according to Kassim fills a significant gap in the numismatic history of the Malay Peninsula. A new light was shed on how earlier coins were cast by the "lost wax" method, how coins were produced and how the technology developed.
The items found include:
- cockerel perched on ring (that Kassim attributed to 17th. century Kedah)
- varieties of animal currencies - roosters, fish, goats (sheep) and tortoises (that Kassim mentioned was used in Selangor and Perak)
- tampangs
- tin coins used in Palembang, Djambi and Kedah
- moulds of making "VOC" copper currency
According to Kassim many of the items found ready market in Singapore. Perhaps certain items were acquired by Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia such as the above item in block image but most items are "lost" or tucked away in private collections. Approximately 25 years after their discoveries the fate of these fascinating items are not known.
Images of some of the items found at Tanjung Pinang, Riau, Indonesia will be included in a future post soon.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
TIN 'HAT' AND ANIMAL: MONEY BY WILLIAM SHAW AND MOHD. KASSIM ALI
The Tin 'Hat' and Animal Money, a book by Shaw and Kassim published in 1970 by Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is a useful reference for the subject. This 17-page book, excluding nine exhibition plates, focuses more on Tin 'Hat" Money (Pagodas and Pyramids) but provides brief and good background information on the development of Animal Money (Animal Currency).
Monday, May 24, 2010
TIN AND THE MALAY PENINSULA - PART I OF II
The coasts of the Malay Peninsula used to be part of the sea route that connected East Asia and the Middle East. This route began in the ports of Shantung Peninsula, rounded the coasts of Malaya and India and ended in the Persian Gulf [Source: Shaw, William & Mohd. Kassim Ali 1971, Coins of North Malaya, National Museum, Kuala Lumpur]. Situated mid-way of this sea route, trading ports on the Malay Peninsula became the halfway meeting points between East Asian and Middle Eastern traders. The strategic location of the Malay Peninsula became transformed it into one of the earliest and most famous trading areas in the world.
The trading centers in the Malay Peninsula started as early as the 2nd. century A.D. Its geographical advantage in the trading system of the early days saw the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago as a base for many early governments such as Langkasuka, North East of the Peninsula (100 Century A.D.), Old Kedah Chih-cha, West of the Peninsula (5th. - 14th. Century A.D), Pan Pan, North of the Peninsula / Isthmus Kra, South Thailand (5th. Century A.D.), Srivijaya, Palembang, Sumatera (7th. - 13th. Century A.D.), Chih-tu, North of the Peninsula in the vicinity of the Kelantan river (about 1,000 years ago), Tan-tan, Terengganu, Tun-sun, North of the Peninsula and Singhasari - Majapahit, Java (1222 - 1292 A.D.) [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]
The trading ports and centres in the Malay Peninsula did not only connect East Asia and the Middle East but also the West and far East. That was the extend of the role of the Malay Peninsula as a connecting point for traders. The Malay Peninsula not only offered strategic stopovers for traders also provided abundance of products highly sought after by these traders such as spices, jungle produce and exotic items as well as minerals such as gold and tin.
Gold and tin mining activities in the Malay Peninsula could have started as early as 2nd. century A.D. if the term Golden Chersonese that means the Golden Peninsula that was used by Ptolemy was indeed referring to the Malay Peninsula. Although the gold and tin reserves of the Malay Peninsula attracted the Chinese as early as the 7th. century A.D., the tin mining activities were operated by the Malays until the middle of the 19th. century. Foreign workers were subsequently brought in to cater for additional labor requirement when the industry expanded with increased tin mining activities through discoveries and opening of new mines. Based on records, gold and tin were the major exports of Malacca in 1408 and minor exports of Pahang and Kelantan in the 13th. century A.D.
The tin mining activities operated by the Malays involves various supernatural believes and rituals. The central belief is that tin possessed a spirit and can move from one place to another and that this movement is controlled by the guardian of the spirit, jin tanah or the earth genie. The belief influenced the tin mining activities from the process of locating tin mining areas, opening of the areas and how they were operated. The spirit of the tin must be appeased or the tin will move away from the mining area or calamities will befall mining activities at the mine.
Communications with the spirit and earth genie were done through a medium of Malay pawang or traditional medicine man. Magical rites will be performed to obtain permission to mine and animal sacrifices will be offered in return for abundance of tin and avoidance of calamities at the mining site. Castings of spells were done to protect the miners and the site from disturbance of other supernatural forces. Charms were also used for the well being of the miners and the mines. Although the tin mining activities were taken over by the Chinese from the Malays in the Middle 19th. century, the rituals and supernatural activities remained a practice in the industry.
The trading centers in the Malay Peninsula started as early as the 2nd. century A.D. Its geographical advantage in the trading system of the early days saw the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago as a base for many early governments such as Langkasuka, North East of the Peninsula (100 Century A.D.), Old Kedah Chih-cha, West of the Peninsula (5th. - 14th. Century A.D), Pan Pan, North of the Peninsula / Isthmus Kra, South Thailand (5th. Century A.D.), Srivijaya, Palembang, Sumatera (7th. - 13th. Century A.D.), Chih-tu, North of the Peninsula in the vicinity of the Kelantan river (about 1,000 years ago), Tan-tan, Terengganu, Tun-sun, North of the Peninsula and Singhasari - Majapahit, Java (1222 - 1292 A.D.) [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]
The trading ports and centres in the Malay Peninsula did not only connect East Asia and the Middle East but also the West and far East. That was the extend of the role of the Malay Peninsula as a connecting point for traders. The Malay Peninsula not only offered strategic stopovers for traders also provided abundance of products highly sought after by these traders such as spices, jungle produce and exotic items as well as minerals such as gold and tin.
Gold and tin mining activities in the Malay Peninsula could have started as early as 2nd. century A.D. if the term Golden Chersonese that means the Golden Peninsula that was used by Ptolemy was indeed referring to the Malay Peninsula. Although the gold and tin reserves of the Malay Peninsula attracted the Chinese as early as the 7th. century A.D., the tin mining activities were operated by the Malays until the middle of the 19th. century. Foreign workers were subsequently brought in to cater for additional labor requirement when the industry expanded with increased tin mining activities through discoveries and opening of new mines. Based on records, gold and tin were the major exports of Malacca in 1408 and minor exports of Pahang and Kelantan in the 13th. century A.D.
The tin mining activities operated by the Malays involves various supernatural believes and rituals. The central belief is that tin possessed a spirit and can move from one place to another and that this movement is controlled by the guardian of the spirit, jin tanah or the earth genie. The belief influenced the tin mining activities from the process of locating tin mining areas, opening of the areas and how they were operated. The spirit of the tin must be appeased or the tin will move away from the mining area or calamities will befall mining activities at the mine.
Communications with the spirit and earth genie were done through a medium of Malay pawang or traditional medicine man. Magical rites will be performed to obtain permission to mine and animal sacrifices will be offered in return for abundance of tin and avoidance of calamities at the mining site. Castings of spells were done to protect the miners and the site from disturbance of other supernatural forces. Charms were also used for the well being of the miners and the mines. Although the tin mining activities were taken over by the Chinese from the Malays in the Middle 19th. century, the rituals and supernatural activities remained a practice in the industry.
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