Pitis of Bantam?

[Figleaf]

I believe this coin is a pitis of Bantam, as described in Oeang (number 41, cross reference Millies 113) Can anyone confirm? Oeang says the text is pangéran ratu ing banten. Is this correct? I have seen an attribution to Abu-i-Mufakhir Muhammad-Abdul Qadir (1618-1631) and in Oeang to Abdul Mufakhir (1596-1643). If this is the same sultan, what are the correct dates? If not, which of the two is more likely?

Colour as shown in the pic is not correct as I took up contrast to improve legibility.

Peter

[thelawnet]

I believe this coin is a pitis of Bantam, as described in Oeang (number 41, cross reference Millies 113) Can anyone confirm? Oeang says the text is pangéran ratu ing banten. Is this correct? I have seen an attribution to Abu-i-Mufakhir Muhammad-Abdul Qadir (1618-1631) and in Oeang to Abdul Mufakhir (1596-1643). If this is the same sultan, what are the correct dates? If not, which of the two is more likely?

Hmm.

Indonesian and English wikipedia don't even have the same list of rulers.

Indonesian wiki says:

Sultan Abdul Mufahir Mahmud Abdul Kadir 1605 - 1640

and English Pangeran Ratu - Abdul Kadir Kenari (1596-1651)

PS. What is Oeang in this context?

[Figleaf]

Numismatische Kring Oost Nederland - Oeang, ruil en betaalmiddelen in Indië - Arnhem 1999 (Dutch)

This is the catalogue of a special exhibition held a few years ago.

Peter

[Rangnath]

Is the hexegonal hole unusual?
richie

[Afrasi]

It is typically for Bantam, but unusually for all other South East Asian sultanates.

[thelawnet]

Same coin, I think:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110350799168

[Figleaf]

Another set of dates: 1550-1596. This gets confuseder and confuseder

Peter

[thelawnet]

Another set of dates: 1550-1596. This gets confuseder and confuseder

Peter

I will ask the seller what he knows about the coin.

Seems that he thinks it's at least somewhat scarce, as he's started it at $9.99 rather than the usual $0.99.

[thelawnet]

There are some Bantam pitis here:

http://www.javaauction.info/catalog_pilih.php?mode=pilih&id=CB&halm=2

Reference is made to
E. Netscher and J.A. Van der Chijs, De Munten Van Nederlandsch Indie
and
Millies, H.C., Recherches sur Les Monnaies Des Indigenes de L'Archipel Indien de la Peninsule Malaie

It seems that the sultanate used Javanese on their cash, and later Jawi (Malay Arabic).

The use of Arabic on your coin places it in the 17th Century.

I compared the ebay image, which is much clearer, with the images at the auction site above, here are the three coins, rotated to the same angle, side-by-side:



The identification is as follows:
BANTAM, PANGERAN RATU, ca.1651-1682 AD. Copper cash. Obv Legend in Malay-Arabic : "PANGERAN RATU ING BANTAM". Rev : Plain. Issued by the Fifth Bantam Sultanate, Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, also known as "Pangeran Adipati Anom Pangeran Surya". His title reign is "SULTAN ABU AL FATAH ABDUL FATTAH MUHAMMAD SYIFA ZAINA M. ARIFIN, or "SULTAN ABUL FATH". Six-sided central hole. Mill-113; N/C-171. 3.65 gm; 25 mm. Very Fine.

It appears the previous sultan put his own name on the coin.

Realised price was approx $30 in Indonesia inclusive of premium. Where did you get yours?

The same coin exists in tin, which is rarer:

[Figleaf]

Excellent research, thelawnet. Thank you. It seems that there are still things to discover about Bantam. I am not surprised the variant in tin is rarer, as it is a less stable metal. I don't have Millies, but I have a copy of Netscher & Van der Chijs. If I could only find it ...

I bought the coin from a friend who stopped collecting in one large lot. Impossible to know what I paid. He knew it was Bantam, but not which ruler.

Peter

[thelawnet]

http://www.posindonesia.co.id/jakarta2008/article.htm
THE JOURNEY OF BANTAM AMBASSADORS TO ENGLAND IN 1682.


On 11th December 2003, Reuters, England featured the MisteriousCoins from Banten, with the anouncement: "A string of coins from Java, Indonesia was found
buried in the mud at the side of the River Thames, London". All those coins from the 17 th. century has a six sided hole at the middle, 90 pieces string together with an Arabian inscription (Malayian):
"Pangeran Ratou ing Bantam" (Lord King at Bantam). According to The British Museum coin experts: " These are the first Java coins revealed in London"

Thursday morning, 10th November 1681. Slaves were busy mounting goods into "London" ship directed by Captain John Danielszn, to be presented to the King of England : 200 bags of pepper, a set of diamonds and gemstones, golden peacock ornamented with opal stones and many other presents, amounting to 12.000 Reals. That day, thirty-three Bantamese people under the command of Ngabei Naya Wipraya and Ngabei Jaya Sedana embarked on a journey to England as official representatives of Sultan Abdul Kahar Aboen Nassar known as Sultan Hadji or Sultan Muda (Young Sultan). One of the slaves died during the journey. The ship arrived in England on 29th April 1682, at the river Thames, near the town Erith.
King Karel II received them twice at Windsor Palace, with all the noble formalities as was usually given to all foreign countries guests. Ngabei Naya Wipraya and Ngabei Jaya Sedana were both given the title "Knight" as Sir Abdul and Sir Achmet. They were really honoured as special guests during their two and a half months stay in England, sightseeing all around London, visiting England's Government high officials and The British East Indian Company.
Palace high officials gave them generous hospitality, taking them around with palace carriages, enjoying comedian performance "The Tempest of Shakespeare", Westminster
Abbey, King Hendrick VII Chappel, Monsieur Thouberti famous school and even sailing on the Thames till Morta Lake. Those Banten coins taken along by one of the Banten's representative should have fallen during this journey on the river Thames. They were also given the opportunity to visit the Royal Prince of York and his daughter the later Queen Anna to be. People came flocking wherever they went, never were foreign guests given such majestically receival! Their excotic appearance as the first East Indian ambassadors could be the most appealing factor. One of Bantam's cook died on 15th May 1682 and burried at St.
James Park in front of Hyde Park.
On 23th August 1682, Banten's represtentatives went home on the ship "Kemphoorn"
passing through the town Duyns, bringing along gifts from King Karel, some letters adressed to the King of Bantam and contracts with The British East Indian Company. They arrived at Banten in January 1683, but they saw that Banten was far different with the one they had left behind. In the end of 1681, a big dispute broke between Sultan Hadji and his father Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa or Sultan Tua (Old Sultan). The dispute getting worse and worse and climaxed when Sultan Tua attacked the Surosowan Palace in Banten. The Sultan Muda could not cope with it any longer and asked for VOC's shelter and help.
VOC's military company under the command of Isaack St. Martin and Francois Tack including mixed native militery company attacked and gain victory over Sultan Tua's force surrounding Surosowan. But the war wasn't over yet. Sultan Tua went to his home at Tirtayasa as his base camp and continue fighting. This war between son and father continued till the year 1683. On 14th March 1683 Sultan Tua was finally captured through his own son treachery.
Foreign traders took the Sultan Tua's side at the beginning of the war as Sultan Muda really looked forward to establish good relations with VOC. As soon as he won the reign, on 14th April 1682 the first order came out that all English people and also Danish, French and Portuguese were not allowed to stay in Banten any longer! When Banten's representatives were honoured and taken round London, at almost the same time English people were thrown out of Banten by Sultan Muda!
Realizing the recent situation in Banten the captain of the ship "Kemhoorn" got really angry towards Banten's people and put those on his ship ashore at Caringin. Presents boarded were only conveyed through the Dutch government, consisting of 9 boxes of guns, mirrors, knives, sadles, 17 cans of refined water, 1 box of lanterns and "A very ugly dog" (could be a bulldog) given by King Karel II.
From an independent kingdom resisting the VOC it now became Batavia's play toy as Sultan Hadji had given full monopoly authority over all the Kingdom's territories. He did not even dare to move a step without VOC's advice and consent. That was the tragically beginning of the downfall of Banten as a big independent Sultanate Kingdom!

[Figleaf]

Great fun, thelawnet. Thanks! The text was obviously inspired by documents in Dutch. This explains names like Danielszn (Danielson) and Karel (Charles). What still puzzles me is the name of the return ship Kemphoorn. Even if you replace the K by a C, I cannot think of an English name that would fit. However, if you replace the o's by a's (written almost the same in 17th century texts) you are very close to Kemphaan (fighting cock), which would make it a Dutch ship. This would also make sense because the VOC took its trading monopoly on the East Indies quite seriously, so a Dutch ship would have been safer.

Peter

[thelawnet]

Great fun, thelawnet. Thanks! The text was obviously inspired by documents in Dutch. This explains names like Danielszn (Danielson) and Karel (Charles). What still puzzles me is the name of the return ship Kemphoorn. Even if you replace the K by a C, I cannot think of an English name that would fit. However, if you replace the o's by a's (written almost the same in 17th century texts) you are very close to Kemphaan (fighting cock), which would make it a Dutch ship. This would also make sense because the VOC took its trading monopoly on the East Indies quite seriously, so a Dutch ship would have been safer.

Yes the English is rather fun, a little historical context goes a long way, I guess some of these places and Kings might as well be Greek to the author.

Erith is these days a bit of a dump.

It's interesting that such a place was then able to give such a handsome tribute (presumably they were not too keen on the Dutch and wanted to butter up the British) I wonder if they saw any objection to the gift of the dog, considered unclean in Islamic law, but of course that was rather dilute by the time it reached Java.

[Figleaf]

I think the whole story is about money.

The new sultan had decided to trade with the Dutch and have them as allies and the old sultan wanted his inheritance to remain independent. When the emissaries arrived, the English saw their chance and spoilt them, sending the mission back with "letters for the sultan", undoubtedly proposals for trade agreements and "treaties of friendship". However, the father had already taken the argument against the son a step further and he two were now fighting a proxy war, English against Dutch. The Dutch were stronger in this region and they prevailed, getting the trade agreement and heavy influence on the sultan. If the old sultan had won, the same would undoubtedly have happened, except with the English.

As for the dog, boxers were originally raised as fighting dogs against other animals. It was a disappointment that their character was too nice to fight. I presume they were given to the emissaries as a novety, with the intention to amuse the court with animal fights.

Peter

[sem13]

Hello!
Help please determine the time of casting a coin.
The sultan in whose rule the coin is cast