10. Selangor Japanese Occupation Stamp 6 cents on 5 cents

photo: a pair of Selangor stamp during Japanese occupation period

   I occasionally buy stamps as I also collect stamps. I think most of coins and banknotes collector started with stamps collecting. Me basically likes all things that are nostalgic and symbolic.

     This is a Malaya Selangor Japanese Occupation stamp with an overprint of 6 cents on 5 cents stamp. Not very sure about the grading of stamp. The period of this stamp should be between 1942 to 1944.

    I have read in Internet that the Malaya Japanese Occupation stamps are easy to be counterfeited. Then you should take extra care on buying the stamps. One of the way to make sure that the stamps you buy are genuine is to buy it through an established and trusted seller.

   During the occupation of Japanese in Malaya, the Japanese did not want to use their enemy currency and stamps, as they pride themselves with their culture. They hated Western so much and they tried to instill the sense of belonging between Asian nations through motto "Asia is for Asia".

   Can someone tell me what are the meaning of the Japanese characters on the stamps above? As you can see, I have a pair of this stamp. Then, I am offering the first stamp (first photo in this post) to be swapped or for sale.

9. Pulau Penang Penang 1 Pice Coins 1810 1828

       This is a pair of Penang Coat of Arm Series which I bought recently from Ireland. It seems that the auto-correct features in the software makes the pictures look poor. I will replace later with pictures of better quality.

     Below is the information regarding the coins in The Encyclopedia of the Coins of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei 1400 - 1967 by Saran Singh.

photo: obverse of 1801 1 pice Penang

photo: reverse of 1801 1 pice Penang coin

     

ONE CENT / ONE PICE 1810

Obverse: Within a beaded circle, the Arms, supporters, crest and motto of the East India Company. The shield carries the cross of St. George. The supporters are lions rampant each bearing a standard. The lions stand on a scroll inscribed with the motto "AUSPICIO REGIS ET SENATUS ANGLIAE" (Under the auspices of the King and the English Parliament). Above the shield is the crest, a lion rampant holding a crown between it's fore paws. Below the motto is the year date. Based on a design by Lewis Pingo.
Reverse: Within a beaded circle near the edge, a circular wreath of lily cups which overlap each other and run clockwise. Within the wreath the Arabic inscription " Pulau Pinang" (Island of Penang). Based on a design by Thomas Wyon.
Edge: Plain
Weight: 9.46 grammes
Diameter: 28 mm
Composition: Copper (Struck at the Royal Mint, London)
Mintage: 1827840 pieces
Varieties: SS29a - Normal date, SS29b - Dot between 18 and 10 in date (18.10), SS29c - Small stroke at bottom of second figure 1 in date due to die crack
Note: Proof coins exist in Copper and Bronze. This coin is under variety SS29a.

photo: obverse of 1828 1 pice Penang coin

photo: reverse of 1828 1 pice Penang coin

ONE CENT / ONE PICE 1828       

Obverse: Similar to 1 Pice 1810
Reverse: Similar to 1 Pice 1810
Edge: Plain
Weight: 8.94 - 9.07 grammes
Diameter: 28mm
Composition: Copper (Struck at the Madras Mint)
Mintage: 235,800 pieces
Varieties: SS31a - 21 Lily cups in wreath on reverse, SS31b - 22 Lily cups in wreath on reverse, SS31c - 23 Lily cups in wreath on reverse, SS31d - 24 Lily cups in wreath on reverse, SS31e - 26 Lily cups in wreath on reverse
Note: This coin is SS31a variety

For now I am searching for 1825 issue, do you have one ?

8. Terengganu Coin Kali Malik Al Adil 1 Pitis / 1 Keping

photo: Obverse and reverse of the coin.

     Recently I bought this coin from a dealer from Indonesia. He has a lot of old Indonesian coins such as Srivijaya and Palembang sultanate coins, and this coin is among in his listing. The price of this coin is approximately just below RM60 per pieces. How can Terengganu's coin reached Indonesia? Big possibility is due to the coin being used as trade by merchants during that time.

   Below is the information regarding this coin. The obverse of the coin shows in Arabic / Jawi " Kali Malik Al Adil", means The Reign of Just Ruler. The inscription is written left to right. The reverse and edge of this coin is plain. The weight varies from 1.10g, 2.20g, and 3.80g. This coin shown here is 2.20g and 20.0mm in diameter. The diameter also varies from 17.5mm, 20.0mm and 21.5mm. The denomination is 1 Pitis or 1 Keping. It is believed that the period for this coin is from late 18th century to early 19th century. The coin was casted from parent tree money and sometime it has defects such as improper metal flow, hole, or cut mark.

     For those who are having difficulty in reading the inscription, I will try to help you by using the photo below. The yellow line represents the wordings on the coin.

photo: The inscription on the coin

     The jawi writings on the coin clearly spell Kali Malik Al Adil. But I wonder what is the meaning for the symbol "o" after the work Adil. The symbol "o" is 5 in Arabic and most of the sample in Interent has this marking.

photo: the cut mark of the coin

    

    From the photo above, we can see the cut mark of the coin. The cut mark usually exist and sometime the coin has a very serious cut mark due to improper cutting from its parent tree.

     The seller guaranteed to me that this is genuine coin and so far I am positive that this is a genuine one. Do you have any idea on how to diffentiate a genuine and a fake one?

Reference: Saran Singh SS33, zeno.ru, http://malay-coins.tripod.com/terengganu.htm, Fazil Numismatic, Nazri Banknotes

7. Israel 20 New Sheqalim 2008

       I was quite busy lately as I am entering new semester for my study. Four years is a really short time if you are university student, and now I am entering the final year.

    On my way to my hometown, I stole some time to pay a visit to Steven Tan's shop at Pertama Complex. Well, my first objective is to buy the new guidebook, as now I am still using K.N Boon's, which are not very accurate and reliable. Unfortunately, the catalog will be released next month, so I just buy anything below fifty, just not to walk empty-handed.

   So my catch of today (16th JULY 2010) are only a piece of banknote from Israel and a Sarawak coin.

    Showing here is the Israel New Sheqalim, face-valued at 20 New Sheqalim. I am not collecting Israel's banknote, but still I bought it for study and general collection purposes.

    My first perceptions of this banknote are, the person in the obverse of the banknote is Albert Einstein. (Which is false when I googled about it). And the second one is, this banknote is encrypted and for sure, high in technology. You know it when you touch the banknote with your finger.

    Do you have Israel banknotes in your collection?

  

6. East India Company Empat Keping 1804

image 1: obverse and reverse of the coin

Origin: East India Company

Date: 1804

Denomination: Four Keping / Empat Keping / 4 Keping

Weight: 8.55g

Edge: plain

Dimension: Diameter of 30.55mm

Composition: Copper

Population: 1 612 498 pieces  

Mintmark: ---

Reference: SS 5a

Mint: Soho Mint, Birmingham

Category: Normal Circulation Coin 

Engraver: ---
Variety : --- 

Grade: ---

           Recently I bought this coin from eBay. The appearance of this coin attracts me. This coin is under the category of Singapore Merchant Coin. This coin was strucked for circulation in Singapore. It is interesting to note that this coin was strucked on 1823, but still bearing earlier date for thick flan version, which is 1804. This issue was on orders of Thomas Stamford Raffles. This coin served as the prototypes for the later Island of Sumatra series of Singapore Merchant Coin.

Observe: Arms of the British East India Company in centre. The legend "EAST INDIA COMPANY" above, the year date 1804 below.

Reverse: in Jawi / Arabic "4 Empat Keping 1219 AH"

There are two types of this coin, thin flan and thick flan. Basically the thick flan version weighs more than the thin flan as the thickness is different. The thick flan version was issued to be used in Sumatra and its neighbors only.

I bought this coin from an Irish dealer, and it costs me around USD10 exclusive of postage. Do you have similar coins like this?

5. Straits Settlements 1 Dollar 1907H

Image 1: Reverse

Image 2: Obverse

Country of Origin: Straits Settlements (Now a part of Malaysia)

Date: 1907

Denomination: One Dollar

Weight: 20.21g

Edge: Milled

Dimension: Diameter of 34.33mm

Composition: 0.9 Silver

Population: 4 000 000 pieces Mintmark: 'H'

Reference: KN10b

Mint: Ralph Heaton & Sons, Birmingham

Category: Normal Circulation Coin 

Engraver: ---
Variety : ---
Grade: EF 40, cleaned coin

Showing here is a piece of 1 dollar Straits Settlements coin, dated 1907. It has silver purity of 90 percent and mintage of 4 000 000. The weight of this coin is approximately 20.21g and has diameter of 34.33mm (K.N Boon Sept 2008). The edge of the coin is milled. 

        Image 3: the mint marks of the coin

         It is quite interesting to see that this quote has two mint marks. In the black boxes above, you can see an "H" and "DES" below the neck of King Edward VII. The "H" is for Ralph Heaton & Sons, Birmingham mint while the "DES" stands for its engraver and designer, George DeSaulles.

    Extra information from dewardt.net, showing in the coin are the Imperial Crown and the Ermine Robe of State, the Collar of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, wore by the effigy of the King Edward VII.

    I am not sure about the grading of my coin here. Can someone out there grade it for me as I am quite new in this hobby? 1 dollar series of Straits Settlements is my favourite series because it is big (big means value), shiny (shiny means value too) and beautiful, especially for the obverse part. I just like the flora motif and multi languages used in this coin.

  

4. Malaya 25 Cents 1940

Image 1: Obverse

Image 2: Reverse

  

Country of Origin: Malaya (Now a part of Malaysia)

Denomination: 25 Cents

Prefix: D 562149
Dimension: 121mm x 79mm
Category: Emergency Issuance Note
Sign(s): L.S Corney, Chairman of Commissioners
Date(s): 1/9/1940
Printer: Survey Department Federated Malay States
Watermark: 'S' 'D' 'M'
Portrait: King George VI

      This is a banknote from Malaya which bears the value of 25 cents. It was signed by L.S Corney who was the Chairman of the Commissioners. It was designed and printed by Survey Department of Federated Malay States. The dimension is 121 mm times by 79 mm.

        The prefixes are from A to F. According to K.N Boon, prefixes C and D bear the higher value than the other siblings. This banknote is for emergency issues. According to some stories that I have read, the emergency issues were releases due to the sinkage of the ship that was supposed to transport the banknotes to Malaya. The ship was attacked by Germans. Then, new banknotes has to be released temporarily before they prepare for the 1941 new banknote series. No 25 cents denominations for 1941 series as they changed it with 20 cents and 50 cents denominations.

    Apparently this banknote is getting scarcer day by day and the price has rising up recently. I could not find myself a good quality, but yet cheap one of this banknote. So this is all I can afford for the time being. By the way, it is quite good as a filler. An uncirculated one sure can fetch a high price, such as this one.

    Personally, this is my favourite banknote. First, it is because it has value of 25 cents. It is odd value right ? And furthermore, I fancy the portrait of King George VI in this banknote. For me, it looks androidic and robotic. Quite funny, but that was probably maybe they were rushing to design this banknote, but nevertheless, this banknote is still beautiful!

    For further reading and reference.

• Nazri Banknotes
• Collectorbox
• Malaysianbanknotes

2/1/2011 - updated