Singapore Merchants AH 1411 keping token
The first specimen was lot 74499 in Stack's Bowers Collector's Choice sale (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2022), where it sold for $336. The catalog description[1] noted, "MALAYA. British East India Company. Copper Keping Token, AH 1411/1835. NGC AU-50. An attractive example of the type with silky brown surfaces and mostly problem free." The second specimen was lot 76057 in Stack's Bowers Collectors Choice Online Auction (Costa Mesa, CA, February 2025), where it sold for $1,200. The catalog description[1] noted, "NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES. Singapore Merchants Issues. Sultana. Copper Keping Token, "AH 1411"/1835. PCGS AU-58. A RARE and enticing issue, this example is tied with just one other specimen for the top spot in the PCGS census." This type is listed by the SCWC under Netherlands East Indies, island of Sultana, but no such island exists. These tokens were issued by British merchants for circulation in Sumatra. To evade Dutch laws against the introduction of foreign coinage, they refer to the fictitious island of Sultana. The AH 1411 date is obviously bogus, as that corresponds to 1990 AD. This token could also be filed under Malaya or the Straits Settlements as it was intended to circulate throughout the region. The two varieties shown here vary in the orientation of the flag.
Recorded mintage: unknown.
Specification: copper or brass, 20-21 mm diameter.
Catalog reference: the first specimen is KM-Tn7, the second specimen is KM-Tn6.
- Michael, Thomas, and Tracy L. Schmidt, Standard Catalog of World Coins, 1801-1900, 9th ed., Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2019.
- Passon, Tom, Catalogus van de Munten van de Nederlandse Gebieden Overzee, vanaf 1601 tot heden, Apeldoorn, Netherlands, 2022.
- Scholten, C., The Coins of the Dutch Overseas Territories, 1601-1948, Amsterdam: Jacques Schulman, 1953.
- [1]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, The February 2022 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients & World Coins, Featuring Selections from the Kings Norton Mint Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers LLC, 2022.
- [2]Orsini, Matt, Kyle Ponterio and Jeremy Bostwick, February 2025 World Collectors Choice Online Auction - Ancients, World Coins & World Paper Money, David B. Simpson Medals & World Coins Part 1, Selections from the Richard Margolis Collection, and Selections from the L. E. Bruun Collection, Costa Mesa, CA: Stack's Bowers Galleries, Inc., 2025.
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