Malay Magic Coin

[davidrj]

Sometimes, you lose collecting focus and buy something totally wacky, but I did eventually track this down

45mm, 30g. brass



Cribb, #263a: 45mm, 30g. brass

"Islamic-style magic coin from Malay Peninsula, probably first made in the 1950s and first reported in 1969.

Front: Old man in long robe, holding walking stick (with sword-blade shape shaft), facing left, standing on ground; chair (?) behind man; Arabic inscription: Raj Kubsyugh.

Back: Cannon with four wheels on ground; mountains in background and rock in foreground; Arabic inscription Raj 'Asr."

Anyone got any further info on these? Is it a temple token, a good luck charm, or a tourist piece?

Looks to me like a standing ram rather than an old man, is this a figure from Malay tradition? Does the text mean anything?

David

[Figleaf]

The man is of course a god, since he has a goat's head, which is rare among humans (though human's with a goat's brain do occur ). My candidate is the Indian god lord Hayagriva (attachment.)

I think you are right about the cannon, but look again. A real cannon by this dimensions would topple over and fire into the ground. These cannons exist, though, albeit in miniature only. They were forged in Borneo and used as money. Part of Borneo is now Malaysia. The rest is Brunei and Indonesia, where Malay is also spoken. In these places, magician-priests will sell such magic tokens, sometimes for lordly sums, to cure illnesses and social shortcomings, ascertain promotions or bring happiness in general.

Peter

[davidrj]

Thanks! He looks a good candidate! 

[@josephjk]

Looks like a horse head to me.....

[Figleaf]

Indeed and so does the portrait on the token. Found in wikipedia:

Invariably, Hayagriva is depicted seated, most often with his right hand either blessing the supplicant or in the vyākhyā mudrā pose of teaching. The right hand also usually holds a akṣa-mālā (rosary), indicating his identification with meditative knowledge. His left holds a book, indicating his role as a teacher. His face is always serene and peaceful, if not smiling.

This may explain the chair and the objects held (I think it may be the akṣa-mālā and a book roll).

Peter