Melaka Coinage/Tampang Tin Ingot Money (China/Malaysia)

[güttsfükk]

Southern Indochina and Malay Archipelago since early times were under strong influence of India, which strongly influenced flat coinage of this region, and originated first forms of native primitive money. Succeed by Chinese presence in the region, Chinese ingots came into circulation, and developed new forms of ingot currency. Earlier ingots, flower money, served the prototype for "Namo" coins because of Indian Hindu symbol "na" shown on the coins

This tin currency are used during 14-15 century around Parameswara (Sultan of Malacca) period. Most of the tin blocks are either in square or round in shape and all have flower motives on the top surface. The bottom has a hole approximately parralel to the axis. The hole is in the centre of bottom face at an angle to the face of the bottom of the "tampang". A stick was inserted, probably while the tin was molten; then when hardened, the tampang money could be easily removed from the mould.

Each tampang ingot money normally weight 1 LB 15 OZ (900 grammes) or sometimes 1 LB 10 OZ (750 grammes). The lightest of this tampang money is approximately 564 grammes and the heaviest is 879 grammes. The reason this tampang money loss some weight maybe because the of the holes beneath them. Some of tampang tin ingot money in Perak (upper north states in Malaysia) found, the holes beneath the tampang has been filled.
Here is some of Mallaca Tampang Tin ingot money:

Read more: http://lunaticg.blogspot.com/2009/09...#ixzz1eMWD5v12

[Blewvane]

They look like trade chits, an early form of currency used by traders as a standard trade currency.

[güttsfükk]

Originally Posted by Blewvane

They look like trade chits, an early form of currency used by traders as a standard trade currency.

yes i heard about these in an article about strange trade currencies.

that's where i also heard about the katanga cross : http://www.documentingreality.com/fo...y-congo-92009/

it also mentioned some currency from a region in africa that made spear heads from different metals to use for their trade currency.

the cockrel shaped on is cool too