METAL
The Ring Currency (and Animal Currency) are generally known as being made from tin. From tests conducted, it is established that the composition of the metal consists other metals too as such they are not made of pure tin.
ORIGIN
The Ring Currency is attributed to the state of Kedah. There are evidences to suggest that they could have been issued by other state or states in the Malay Peninsula. The accuracy of attributing the currency exclusively to the state of Kedah can be argued.
USAGE AND ACCEPTANCE
The Ring Currency was used extensively within the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago based on discovery of the currency at various locations around the peninsula and archipelago.
VALUE
The actual value of the Ring Currency (according to the various types that exists) are not known for certain. The various values given to them by certain literature may hold true for that particular point in time and is subjected to the value of the other currencies that they are compared and equated with.
UNDERSTANDING OF THE CURRENCY
Not much is known about the Ring Currency. The understanding of this forgotten currency is my motivation for this blog and my yet to be published book on this subject.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
THE MOST BASIC FORM OF THE RING CURRENCY
The most basic form or type of the Ring Currency is a 1-ring or 2-ring item without any animal element in the design or animal attached to the ring(s). Such items are listed as SS20D in The Encyclopaedia of The Coins of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei 1400 - 1967. (page 260, under Kedah and Perlis)
SS20D
The first item in my collection.
The above is the first Ring Currency item in my collection. What attracted me to collecting these items is the fact that not much is known about them. The item with cockerels (as posted earlier) to me are beautiful items and I thought the only way to learn about them is to embark on the trail of collecting.
The term Ring Currency is not a common term. Saran Singh (1996) refer them as tin cockerels perched on rings and broadly categorize them as Animal Money. Literature covering this subject in late 19 century and early 20 century also did not give them a specific term.
This currency with a ring feature is a unique form of currency of the old Malay Peninsula, it deserves a specific reference. Item with a ring feature, with or without animal feature to me are of a similar category and should not be categorized under Animal Currency, they are the Ring Currency.
SS20D
The first item in my collection.The above is the first Ring Currency item in my collection. What attracted me to collecting these items is the fact that not much is known about them. The item with cockerels (as posted earlier) to me are beautiful items and I thought the only way to learn about them is to embark on the trail of collecting.
The term Ring Currency is not a common term. Saran Singh (1996) refer them as tin cockerels perched on rings and broadly categorize them as Animal Money. Literature covering this subject in late 19 century and early 20 century also did not give them a specific term.
This currency with a ring feature is a unique form of currency of the old Malay Peninsula, it deserves a specific reference. Item with a ring feature, with or without animal feature to me are of a similar category and should not be categorized under Animal Currency, they are the Ring Currency.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
TIN INGOTS & ANIMAL MONEY - BASIC BACKGROUND INFORMATION
This web page by Bank Negara Malaysia, Money Museum provides good basic background information on tin ingots and animal money.
Here you have some information on how early tin ingots became part of trading activities, their origin, extensiveness of use and their exchange value. Information on animal money touches on the centuries long tin mining activities of the old Malay Peninsula, the minting of tin ingots in animal shapes, their possibles uses and the magical aspects of the animal shaped ingots.
It is important to keep in mind that tin ingots in various shapes were used for centuries. Information such as the recorded exchange value of certain tin ingots represent value that holds true only for that particular point in time. With not much recorded information available, the association of the animal shaped ingots with magic spins mystery out of them.
Useful background information on Tin Animal Money and Tin Ingots can also be found at Wikipedia.
Here you have some information on how early tin ingots became part of trading activities, their origin, extensiveness of use and their exchange value. Information on animal money touches on the centuries long tin mining activities of the old Malay Peninsula, the minting of tin ingots in animal shapes, their possibles uses and the magical aspects of the animal shaped ingots.
It is important to keep in mind that tin ingots in various shapes were used for centuries. Information such as the recorded exchange value of certain tin ingots represent value that holds true only for that particular point in time. With not much recorded information available, the association of the animal shaped ingots with magic spins mystery out of them.
Useful background information on Tin Animal Money and Tin Ingots can also be found at Wikipedia.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
INTRODUCTION
When researching the numismatic history of Malaysia, one cannot do away with referring to the Encyclopaedia of the Coins of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei 1400-1986 by Saran Singh (1986). It is the key reference for numismatists when it comes to coins and currencies of these countries.
In the 2nd. Edition (1996) of the encyclopaedia page 260, the author referred the cockerel perched on rings as Animal Money. For the purpose of this blog (and my forthcoming book entitled The Forgotten Tin Ring Currency of The Malay Peninsula), all items with rings, with or without animal figure will be referred as Ring Currency. This shall include tin cockerel perched on rings presented in the encyclopaedia as item SS20a, SS20b and SS20c in page 260.
Ring Currency with animal figure will also be referred as Animal Ring Money. The rationale for this is that although there are Ring Currency items with animal figure in their designs, there are also types that come without animal figure. If these items are to be categorized as Animal Currency then this will result in the omission of those without animal figure from the definition. This will lead to a weak and confusing definition to the term Ring Currency as to whether it should include or omit types with animal figure since Animal Ring Currency can be categorized under both Animal Currency as well as Ring Currency.
The term Animal Currency or Animal Money in this blog refers to Animal Money and Animal Currency in general without limiting it to items deemed to originate from the Malay states of Perak and Selangor as listed in the 2nd. Edition of The Encyclopaedia of the Coins of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei 1400-1986 in page 200 - 205. The listing may indirectly implies that Animal Currency and Animal Money was issued only by Perak and Selangor, that is, assuming that the listing is accurate. It is important that this limiting perception is removed because there are strong evidences to suggest that this currency was also issued and used by other states on the Malay Peninsula.
The Encyclopaedia of the Coins of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei 1400-1986 by Saran Singh.
The book was first published in 1986 and was re-printed in 1996. This book is now a collector's item due to limited number of print.
The book was first published in 1986 and was re-printed in 1996. This book is now a collector's item due to limited number of print.
In the 2nd. Edition (1996) of the encyclopaedia page 260, the author referred the cockerel perched on rings as Animal Money. For the purpose of this blog (and my forthcoming book entitled The Forgotten Tin Ring Currency of The Malay Peninsula), all items with rings, with or without animal figure will be referred as Ring Currency. This shall include tin cockerel perched on rings presented in the encyclopaedia as item SS20a, SS20b and SS20c in page 260.
Block Image of item SS20a
Block Image of item SS20b
Block Image of item SS20c
Block Image of item SS20b
Block Image of item SS20c
Ring Currency with animal figure will also be referred as Animal Ring Money. The rationale for this is that although there are Ring Currency items with animal figure in their designs, there are also types that come without animal figure. If these items are to be categorized as Animal Currency then this will result in the omission of those without animal figure from the definition. This will lead to a weak and confusing definition to the term Ring Currency as to whether it should include or omit types with animal figure since Animal Ring Currency can be categorized under both Animal Currency as well as Ring Currency.
The term Animal Currency or Animal Money in this blog refers to Animal Money and Animal Currency in general without limiting it to items deemed to originate from the Malay states of Perak and Selangor as listed in the 2nd. Edition of The Encyclopaedia of the Coins of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei 1400-1986 in page 200 - 205. The listing may indirectly implies that Animal Currency and Animal Money was issued only by Perak and Selangor, that is, assuming that the listing is accurate. It is important that this limiting perception is removed because there are strong evidences to suggest that this currency was also issued and used by other states on the Malay Peninsula.
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.
The Coins of North Malaya by William Shaw and Mohd. Kassim Hj. Ali,
published by Muzium Negara, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia (1971).
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.
PRESENT UNDERSTANDING
For more than 100 years our understanding on the subject of tin Ring Currency of the Malay Peninsula depended solely on foreign literature. Suggestions and assumptions were taken, accepted and passed on as absolute facts without questioning the basis and accuracy of these facts. This blog (and my forthcoming book entitled The Forgotten Tin Ring Currency of the Malay Peninsula) takes a fresh and independent perspective on the subject.
Friday, May 21, 2010
WELCOME TO MY WEB LOG
This blog was first created in early 2009. In mid 2009 I retracted my postings and re-posted them in what I think was a better presentation. However, due certain commitments I was unable to develop the blog as intended. I apologize to those who visited the blog earlier for the inactivity of the blog.
Although bogged down by other matters, during this period of blog inactivity I somehow managed to complete the writing of my first book on numismatics entitled The Forgotten Tin Ring Currency of the Malay Peninsula. I am now working on my next book entitled The Mysterious Animal Currency of the Malay Peninsula. The idea of developing this blog concurrently with the writing of the first book sounded like a good idea at the outset but the research and thinking that was going on at that point in time created a conflict between sharing the current findings and final conclusions that would come later hence the decision to defer the postings on the blog.
Although I am currently working on my second book, unlike the first book that required in-depth research, a pictorial concept was adopted for the second book as such it will not give rise to the kind of conflict that arose during the writing of the first book.
With this I look forward to develop my web log with regular postings.
Thank you.
Although bogged down by other matters, during this period of blog inactivity I somehow managed to complete the writing of my first book on numismatics entitled The Forgotten Tin Ring Currency of the Malay Peninsula. I am now working on my next book entitled The Mysterious Animal Currency of the Malay Peninsula. The idea of developing this blog concurrently with the writing of the first book sounded like a good idea at the outset but the research and thinking that was going on at that point in time created a conflict between sharing the current findings and final conclusions that would come later hence the decision to defer the postings on the blog.
Although I am currently working on my second book, unlike the first book that required in-depth research, a pictorial concept was adopted for the second book as such it will not give rise to the kind of conflict that arose during the writing of the first book.
With this I look forward to develop my web log with regular postings.
Thank you.
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