Brunei pitis

The pitis was a currency of Brunei last issued in 1868 which circulated into the 20th century. It is also referred to as the "picil" by Antonio Pigafetta [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/features/2007/08/12/brunei_history_seen_through_its_coinage Brunei History Seen Through Its Coinage] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] and some variants of it were referred to as the "kue" and the "paku" (English: piece). It was later replaced by the Straits dollar in Brunei, which is valued at 4000 pitisnumis cite SCWC|date=1991] or 800 paku [http://bruneiresources.blogspot.com/2007/01/old-brunei-coins.html Old Brunei Coins] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] and at par with the Spanish dollar.

History

Before the introduction of coins to Brunei, Cowrie shells were used as bartering currency in purchasing small items [http://gallery.bruneiresources.com/ Currency Gallery Brunei Darusslam] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] . Brunei is also famous for its bronze teapots, which were used as currency in barter trade along the coast of North Borneo.

The first coinage used in Brunei were Chinese coins [ [http://bp2.blogger.com/_nUwtJEsen8U/Raq1SESmidI/AAAAAAAAAAY/V4O3LTHbMFo/s320/duit_lama_kue.jpgImage of Kue coins] ] which were first type of coins to be referred to as the pitis in Brunei [http://bruneiresources.blogspot.com/2007/01/old-brunei-coins.html Old Brunei Coins] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] . Its use probably started with the Chinese contact with Brunei between the 9th and 12th century [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/features/2007/08/12/brunei_history_seen_through_its_coinage Brunei History Seen Through Its Coinage] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] .

When Antonio Pigafetta who was Ferdinand Magellan's chronicler visited Brunei in 1521, he wrote "The money is made out of bronze pierced in the middle in order that it may be strung. On each side of it are four Chinese characters, which are letters of the Great King of China. We call the money picils." Picils is a reference to the pitis [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/features/2007/08/12/brunei_history_seen_through_its_coinage Brunei History Seen Through Its Coinage] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] .

In the 16th century, Brunei started issuing its own currency. These coins were known as pitis, with the Chinese "pitis" being referred to as "kue" to differentiate them from the Bruneian coins. Chinese coins continued to circulate in Brunei until around the second half of the 19th century [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/features/2007/08/12/brunei_history_seen_through_its_coinage Brunei History Seen Through Its Coinage] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] .

In addition to pitis and kue, silver Spanish dollars circulated with an exchange rate of 4000 pitis = 1 dollarnumis cite SCWC|date=1991] . Iron ingots were also used as money, with 100 flat, inch square pieces worth 1 dollar [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/features/2007/08/12/brunei_history_seen_through_its_coinage Brunei History Seen Through Its Coinage] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] . Miniature cannons between convert|6|in|mm to a foot long were also used as currency [http://gallery.bruneiresources.com/ Currency Gallery Brunei Darusslam] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] .

In 1906, Sultan Hashim agreed to have a British Resident in Brunei. He also acquiesced that the Straits dollar, used by the British in the Straits Settlement (Malaya), Singapore, North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak, should be used in Brunei [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/classification/life/2007/06/30/bruneis_currency_notes_before_1967 Brunei Currency Notes before 1967] ] . Despite the introduction of the Straits dollar, the previous local monies were still used with peculiar exchange rates in the earlier days. All the previous pitis coins were called "paku" (English: piece) where 8 "paku" were equal to 1 cent or "kayu" ("sakayu") [http://bruneiresources.blogspot.com/2007/01/old-brunei-coins.html Old Brunei Coins] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] . However, officially, 4000 pitis equaled one dollarnumis cite SCWC|date=1991] .

Coins

Brunei's first coins were struck in a tin-lead alloy. These are further subdivided into about three sets. The earliest types bore an anonymous, flowery design. These were followed by issues of unnamed sultans. Finally, coins bearing the names of known Sultans were issued. These coins were struck from about the 16th century to about the 19th century [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/features/2007/08/12/brunei_history_seen_through_its_coinage Brunei History Seen Through Its Coinage] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] .

Coins of the unnamed Sultans have the honorific title of the Sultan minted on the coins. Some of the titles includes Malikul-Adil [ [http://gallery.bruneiresources.com/pics/malikaladil.jpgImage of Malikul-Adil coin] ] (The Just Sultan) [http://gallery.bruneiresources.com/ Currency Gallery Brunei Darusslam] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] and Malikul-Thahir (The Victorious Sultan). The title is generic though it has been speculated that the coins belonged to that of Sultan Hassan who ruled between 1605 and 1620 [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/features/2007/08/12/brunei_history_seen_through_its_coinage Brunei History Seen Through Its Coinage] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] .

The first pitis [ [http://bp3.blogger.com/_nUwtJEsen8U/Raq1sUSmieI/AAAAAAAAAAg/cDCJVFQjYHQ/s320/duit_lama_pitis.jpgImage of 1868 pitis] ] issued in Brunei with a definite date was that issued by Sultan Abdul Momin, who ruled from 1853 to 1885. The principal metal of this coin is lead with some tin content. On the front, the coin shows the Royal umbrellas and other Brunei state insignia. The coin also has an inscription translated as "By order of the State Financial Administration of Brunei, in the year of the Prophet 1285" [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/features/2007/08/12/brunei_history_seen_through_its_coinage Brunei History Seen Through Its Coinage] - last retrieved 7th June 2008] . The year of the Prophet 1285, or 1285 Hijrah (AH 1285), is the date according to the Islamic calendar and it corresponds to AD 1868. The coins were of two denominations - ½ and 1 pitisnumis cite SCWC|date=1991] .

The last Sultan to issue his own coin was Sultan Hashim who issued the "star coin" [ [http://bp0.blogger.com/_nUwtJEsen8U/Raq2skSmigI/AAAAAAAAAAw/QkXz6JzcTEY/s320/duit_lama_bintang.jpgImage of Star pitis] ] in 1886 (printed as AH 1304 on the coin) which was minted in Birmingham, England [http://www.bt.com.bn/en/classification/life/2007/06/30/bruneis_currency_notes_before_1967 Brunei Currency Notes before 1967] ] . These coins were bronze and have on the obverse a star inside a circle with an Arabic inscription outside. The reverse has a "1" inside a circle with "SULTANATE OF BRUNEI 1304".

ee also

*Brunei dollar
*Coins of the Brunei dollar
*Kelantan keping
*Trengganu keping

References

External links

Standard numismatics external links
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