Saturday 2 August 2014

North Borneo Coins

Brief History of Colonial North Borneo


1761-1805 – British East India Company officer Alexander Dalrymple established a port at Balambangan Island ( Felicia Island ) off Kudat following agreement signed with Sultan of Sulu. 
The British abundant the port in 1805 mainly due to piracy.

1865-1866 – US Consul to Brunei, Charles Lee Moses obtained a 10-year-lease for the territory of North Borneo from the Sultan of Brunei.  He sold the rights to American Trading Company of Borneo ( owned by Joseph William Torrey, Thomas Bradley Harris, Tat Cheong et al )  Torrey founded Ellena at Kimanis River.
Ellena abandoned in 1866 due to multiple issues.
Rights for North Borneo sold to Consul of the Austro-Hungrian Empire in Hong Kong, Baron Gustav von Overbeck.

1875 – Baron Gustav von Overbeck obtained an extension of 10-year renewal from the Temenggong of Brunei.

1880 – Baron Gustav von Overbeck withdrew from North Borneo.  Alfred Dent resumed full control.

1881 – Alfred Dent found British North Borneo Provisional Association Ltd and obtained Royal Charter.

1882 – The North Borneo Chartered Company replaced the Provisional Association.  Sir Rutherford Alcock became the first President.  Alfred Dent became the Managing Director.
1884 – NBCC territory expanded to Putatan river & Padas district.
1885 – NBCC territory expanded to Kawang river & Mantanani Islands

1888 – North Borneo became a protectorate of Britain.

1942 – North Borneo fell to Japan invasion.
1945 – North Borneo liberated by Australian forces, administered under BMA.

1946 – North Borneo became a British Crown colony.
Jesselton replaced Sandakan as capital.

1963, August 31 – North Borneo granted self-government.
1963, September 16 – North Borneo joined Malaya, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia.


                   X                                     x                                     x


With the granting of Royal Charter in 1881, North Borneo had the right to produce coin of its own.  It has 1 cent coins struck in England from 1882, and ½cent from 1885, both in bronze, minted by Heaton & Sons of Birmingham.

The British North Borneo dollar was at par with the Straits dollar ( and its successor, the Malayan dollar ), and Sarawak dollar.  All of the currencies were replaced with Malaya and British Borneo dollar in 1953.



Description

Observe :
Half Cent – Older Shield of North Borneo Chartered Company.  A mint mark “H” below the shield, above the ‘year of mint’.
One Cent – Shield of North Borneo Chartered Company, with “Pergo et Perago” which means “I undertake and I achieve” inscribed on banner.  A mint mark “H” inscribed at bottom of shield, above the ‘year of mint’.

Reverse :
Half Cent – Within  a laurel wreath, “HALF CENT” inscribed horizontally in middle, Chinese characters “洋元 半分” vertically crossing the English characters.  Below the wreath is value in Malay written in Jawi “تڠه سين”.   Encircled the wreath is “ BRITISH NORTH BORNEO Co
One Cent - Within  a laurel wreath, “ONE CENT” inscribed horizontally in middle, Chinese characters “洋元 一分” vertically crossing the English characters.  Below the wreath is value in Malay written in Jawi “س توسا”.  Encircled the wreath is “ BRITISH NORTH BORNEO Co”


Technical Details
Year of Mint : 1882- 1907

½¢
1¢
1882


1884


1885


1886


1887


1888


1889


1890


1891


1894


1896


1907



Value : ½ cent, 1 cent
Composition : Bronze
Diameter : 23.5mm, 29.6mm
Weight : 4.60g, 9.25g
Mint :Heaton & Sons, Birmingham

                   X                                     x                                     x       


In 1903-1904, the bronze coins were replaced with copper-nickel coins.  ½¢ coins were discontinued.  2½¢ & 5¢ were introduced 1n 1903.  New copper-nickel 1¢ coins were struck in 1904.  Apparently, the amount of the new coins were sufficed until 2 decades later in 1921 when a new batch were minted.

A 25¢ cents of silver coin were struck only in 1929.

All North Borneo coins were discontinued to be legal tender in 1941 with Japanese invasion.  During the Japanese occupation, paper money was issued in denominations ranging from 1 cent to 1000 dollars.  After the surrender of the Japanese in 1945, North Borneo coins regain their position as legal tender.

In 1953, all North Borneo coins were demonetized when Malaya and British Borneo dollar was introduced.




Description
Observe :
Shield of North Borneo Chartered Company , with “Pergo et Perago” which means “I undertake and I achieve” inscribed on banner.  A mint mark “H” inscribed at bottom of shield.

Reverse :
Within  a circle of beads, ‘value’ inscribed in numeric followed by “”CENT or “CENTS”.    Below is ‘year of mint’.  Encircled by “STATE OF NORTH BORNEO”.

Technical Details
Year of Mint : 1903 - 1941

1¢
2½¢
5¢
25¢
1903




1904




1920




1921




1928




1929




1935




1938




1941





Value : 1 cent, 2½ cents, 5 cents & 25 cents
Composition : Copper-Nickel ( 1¢, 2½¢, 5¢ ) & Silver ( 25¢ )
Diameter : 20.0mm, 24.5mm, 28.1mm & 18.0mm
Weight : 3.30g, 4.90g, 7.30g & 2.83g
Mint :Heaton & Sons, Birmingham

















Friday 1 August 2014

Brunei Coins - Sultan Hassanah Bolkiah


Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah succeeded to the throne as the Sultan of Brunei following the abdication of his father Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin III, on 4 October 1967.

The same denominations and design ( on the reverse ) were retained.  The observe depicted the effigy of the Sultan facing right.  A $1 coin was struck in 1970 depicted a canon on the observe.  



Descriptions
Observe :
Effigy of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah I facing right and the inscription “SULTAN HASSANAL BOLKIAH I”

Reverse :
“Value”, “KERAJAAN BRUNEI”, “year of mint” encrypt encircled around a design in middle.


Technical Details
Year of mint : 1968-1977

10¢
20¢
50¢
$1
1968






1969






1970






1971






1972






1973






1974






1975






1976






1977







Value :1 cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents & $1.
Composition : copper plated zinc (1¢), copper-nickel (5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢, $1)
Diameter : 17.7mm, 16.2mm, 19.4mm, 24.0mm, 27.8mm, 33.4mm
Weight : 1.24g, 1.42g, 2.77g, 6.00g, 9.40g, 16.05g
Designer ( reverse ) : Christopher Ironside



          X                                              x                                               x

In 1977, the title of the Sultan changed to ‘Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’, removing the ‘I’.   More $1 coins were struck, for 1980, 1984-1992.  1¢ coins minted in bronze, then again changed to copper clad steel in 1986.



Descriptions
Observe :
Effigy of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah facing right and the inscription “SULTAN HASSANAL BOLKIAH”

Reverse :
“Value”, “KERAJAAN BRUNEI”, “year of mint” encrypt encircled around a design in middle.


Technical Details
Year of mint : 1977-1993

10¢
20¢
50¢
$1
1977







1978







1979







1980







1981







1982







1983







1984







1985







1986







1987







1988







1989







1990







1991







1992







1993








Value :1 cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents & $1.
Composition : bronze (1¢), copper clad steel (1¢),  
copper-nickel (5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢, $1)
Diameter : 17.7mm, 16.2mm, 19.4mm, 24.0mm, 27.8mm, 33.4mm
Weight : 1.24g, 1.42g, 2.77g, 6.00g, 9.40g, 16.05g
Designer ( reverse ) : Christopher Ironside


X                                              x                                               x


An entirely new portrait of the Sultan facing forward was adopted.  The title of the Sultan changed to ‘Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah’.  $1 coin discontinued and the 1¢ coins were struck in brass as of 2008.




Descriptions
Observe :
Effigy of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah facing front and the inscription “SULTAN HAJI HASSANAL BOLKIAH”

Reverse :
“Value”, “KERAJAAN BRUNEI”, “year of mint” encrypt encircled around a design in middle.


Technical Details
Year of mint : 1993-

10¢
20¢
50¢
1993






1994






1995






1996






1997






1998






1999






2000






2001






2002






2003






2004






2005






2006






2007






2008






2009






2010






2011






2012






2013







Value :1 cent, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents & 50 cents
Composition : copper clad steel (1¢), brass (1¢),  
copper-nickel (5¢, 10¢, 20¢, 50¢)
Diameter : 17.7mm, 16.2mm, 19.4mm, 24.0mm, 27.8mm
Weight : 1.24g, 1.42g, 2.77g, 6.00g, 9.40g
Designer ( reverse ) : Christopher Ironside