The Gold Dinars and Silver Dirhams of the State of Kelantan

The Gold Dinars and Silver Dirhams of the State of Kelantan

By Saran Singh AMN, AMP, PNM

updated 1st July , 2014. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Gold Dinars and Silver Dirhams are generally accepted in the Muslim World as the Islamic Monetary Units, i.e. Shahriah money. However, it is not the Legal Tender Currency in most of these muslim countries.

The State of Kelantan, Malaysia , issued undated 22 Karat (0.917 fineness) Gold coins bearing the denomination ¼ Dinar, ½ Dinar and 1 Dinar which were issued on 20^th September 2006. These coins were struck by Mariwasa Kraftangan , Kuala Kangsar, Perak , and managed by Kelantan Gold Trade Sdn. Bhd.

In 2007, the State of Kelantan struck undated 22 Karat (.917 fineness) Gold 2 Dinars coins to commemorate the birthday of the Sultan of Kelantan. These coins were also struck by Mariwasa Kraftangan, Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

In 2010, the Government of the State of Kelantan authorized The  World Islamic Mint Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to issue Gold Dinars and Silver Dirhams. The designs of these coins were changed from that of the earlier 2006 issues. All these coins were not dated. The denominations issued on 12^th August, 2010 were as follows:

Silver (.999 fineness) 1 Dirham, 2 Dirhams, 5 Dirhams, 10 Dirhams and 20 Dirhams. (Year 2010)

Gold (.917 fineness -  22Karat) ½ Dinar, 1 Dinar, 2 Dinars, 5 Dinars and 8 Dinars. (Year 2010)

Obverse : Modern calligraphy of the Muslim ‘Shahadah’ and a full Qur’anic verse,

                  i.e. Verse Al-Mu’minum 23:52

Reverse : The Coat of Arms of the State of Kelantan. Government of Kelantan.

Edge : Milled

Mintage : ? pieces

The above Gold dinars and Silver Dirhams are not the legal tender currency of the State of Kelantan. The Ringgit Malaysia is the sole legal tender in all the states of Malaysia (including Kelantan).

On 25^th August, 2011, the Government of the State of Kelantan decided to collect and distribute zakat (obligatory money alms) in Kelantanese Gold Dinars , Silver Dirhams as well as the usual Ringgit Malaysia currency. These coins can also be used as gifts or traded at authorized outlets in the State of Kelantan.

.999 Silver      1 Dirham          Diameter : 22mm,         Weight : 2.975 grammes,           ASW 2.972g

.999 Silver      2 Dirham          Diameter : 25mm,         Weight : 5.950 grammes,           ASW 5.944g

.999 Silver      5 Dirham          Diameter : 32mm,         Weight : 14.875 grammes,        ASW 14.860g

.999 Silver      10 Dirham        Diameter : 41mm,         Weight : 29.750 grammes,        ASW 29.720g

.999 Silver      20 Dirham        Diameter : 50mm,         Weight : 59.500 grammes,        ASW 59.440g

.917 Gold      ½ Dinar              Diameter : 16mm,         Weight : 2.125 grammes,          AGW 1.948g

.917 Gold      1 Dinar              Diameter : 21mm,         Weight : 4.250 grammes,           AGW 3.897g

.917 Gold      2 Dinar              Diameter : 22mm,         Weight : 8.500 grammes,           AGW 7.794g

.917 Gold      5 Dinar              Diameter : 25mm,         Weight : 21.250 grammes,        AGW 19.486g

.917 Gold      8 Dinar              Diameter : 32mm,         Weight : 34.000 grammes,        AGW 31.178g

 

 

KELANTAN : 8 DINAR GOLD (YEAR : 2010)

 

 

 

 

KELANTAN : 5 DINAR GOLD (YEAR : 2010)

 

 

 

 

KELANTAN : 2 DINAR GOLD (YEAR : 2010)

 

 

 

 

KELANTAN : 1 DINAR GOLD (YEAR : 2010)

 

 

 

 

KELANTAN : 1/2 DINAR GOLD (YEAR : 2010)

 

 

 

 

 

KELANTAN : 20 DIRHAMS SILVER (YEAR : 2010)

 

 

 

KELANTAN : 10 DIRHAMS SILVER (YEAR : 2010)

 

 

 

KELANTAN : 5 DIRHAMS SILVER (YEAR : 2010)

 

 

 

KELANTAN : 2 DIRHAMS SILVER (YEAR : 2010)

 

 

 

KELANTAN : 1 DIRHAMS SILVER (YEAR : 2010)

 

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On 15^th June, 2012, new 22 Karat Gold 2 Dinar and Silver 2 Dirhams coins with the year date 1433AH (2012) were released in Kota Bahru by the Government of Kelantan. These coins are produced by Kelantan Gold Trade Sdn. Bhd. and minted by the World Islamic Mint, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. 

Dinar- Obverse : A round security hologram, year date H 1433, AU(Gold)   .917 fineness, Weight:8.5grammes
 

Dirham – Obverse: A round security hologram, year date H 1433 Ag(Silver)  .999 fineness, Weight:5.95grammes
 

Dinar and Dirham – Reverse: Coat of Arms of the State of Kelantan, Government of Kelantan
 

.999 Silver 2 Dirham, Diameter:26mm, Weight:5.95grammes , ASW 5.944g, Edge:? , Mintage: ?

.917 Gold 2 Dinar,,Diameter:25mm, Weight:8.50grammes, AGW 7.794g, Edge:? , Mintage: ?


 

 

 

 

 

The Gold Dinars and Silver Dirhams of the State of Perak

The Gold Dinars and Silver Dirhams of the State of Perak

By Saran Singh AMN, AMP, PNM
Updated 1st July, 2014. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The State of Perak,  Malaysia issued undated Gold coins bearing the denomination  ½ Dinar, 1 Dinar and 2 Dinars in .999 fineness (24 Karat) as well as undated Silver coins with the denomination 1 Dirham, 2 Dirhams and 10 Dirhams in .999 fineness. These coins were minted by Mariwasa Kraftangan, Kuala Kangsar, Perak. The coins pictured below were officially issued on 1^st March, 2011 by Dato’  Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, Chief Minister of the State of Perak.

The coins pictured below are not Legal Tender in the State of Perak.  The Ringgit Malaysia is the sole legal tender in all the states of Malaysia (including Perak).  These Gold Dinar and Silver Dirham coins of the State of Perak can be used as investment items , presentation pieces, gifts during anniversaries, births, birthdays, long service awards, recognizing achievements , marriage dowry (‘Mahar’), payment of ‘Zakat’ (obligatory monetary tithes), numismatic items for collectors, etc…

.999 Silver      1 Dirham          Diameter : 22mm,         Weight : 3.00 grammes,           ASW 2.997g

.999 Silver      2 Dirham          Diameter : 25mm,         Weight : 6.00 grammes,           ASW 5.944g

.999 Silver      10 Dirham        Diameter : 39mm,         Weight : 30.00 grammes,         ASW 29.970g

.999 Gold      ½ Dinar             Diameter : 16mm,         Weight : 2.125 grammes,         AGW 2.122g

.999 Gold      1 Dinar              Diameter : 21mm,         Weight : 4.25 grammes,           AGW 3.897g

.999 Gold      2 Dinar              Diameter : 22mm,         Weight : 8.50 grammes,           AGW 8.491g

Obverse : Modern Caligraphy of the Muslim ‘Shahadah’ but not the complete Qur’anic verse

Reverse: The Coat of Arms of the State of Perak

Edge: Milled                                             

Mintage:   ? pieces

                                                  PERAK :: 2 Dinar Gold (YEAR : 2011)

                                                  PERAK :: 1 Dinar Gold (YEAR : 2011)

                                                  PERAK :: 1/2 Dinar Gold (YEAR : 2011)

                                               PERAK :: 10 Dirham Silver (YEAR : 2011)

                                               PERAK :: 2 Dirham Silver (YEAR : 2011)

                                               PERAK :: 1 Dirham Silver (YEAR : 2011)

Island of Sultana 1 Keping - Fictitious Singapore Merchant Copper Tokens

Island of Sultana 1 Keping 1219AH 1247AH 1250AH 1411AH

Fictitious Singapore Merchant Copper Tokens

By Saran Singh AMN, AMP, PNM

26^th January , 2014. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

To overcome the shortage of currency in the newly  founded settlement of Singapore, the merchants in Singapore issued 1 keping tokens in copper, imitating the Arms of the East India Company with year date 1804 and the words “ISLAND OF SUMATRA”.  The reverse had the inscription in Jawi “Satu Keping 1219AH” or “1247AH” as well as a fictitious date 1411AH (1990/91). These tokens were issued between between 1828 – 1836. These tokens came to be widely accepted in the neighboring Malay States, parts of the Nertherland East Indies and Borneo.

The Dutch East India Company had settlements in Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes and Java. The Dutch authorities were alarmed at the vast flow of the Singapore tokens bearing the name “Island of Sumatra” in territories under their control , side by side with the Dutch Doits. Vide Proclaimation dated at Batavia 15^th October 1835, the Dutch declared the Singapore merchant token “Island of Sumatra” illegal and commenced to confiscate all such tokens in areas under their jurisdiction.

To overcome this problem, the Singapore Merchants changed the name of their tokens to a fictitious name “Island of SULTANA” in 1835/36. Thus legally it could not be said that these tokens were for circulation in areas under Dutch control. Some of the fictitious name tokens have lions or horses as their Coat of Arms as well as misleading reverse inscriptions “Pulau Melayu or Jezirah Melayu” (Island of the Malays) with fictitious Arabic dates 1411AH (1990/91)

In 1844, the Court of Directors in London ordered the Governor of the Straits Settlements (Penang, Malacca and Singapore) to stop the production of all imitation Singapore Merchant Tokens. These tokens were replaced with the East India Company ¼ Cent, ½ Cent and 1 Cent coinage in 1845. These were followed by the Indian Straits coinage in 1862 and the regular Straits Settlements coinage from 1871 onwards.

On 1^st January 1848, the Singapore Merchant Tokens were prohibited from circulation in the Strait Settlements and the Malay States of Malaya. 

 

References

1.       “The Encyclopedia of the Coin of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei  1400 – 1986” by Saran Singh AMN,  FRNS. First Edition (1986). Chapter 19 Page 448 – 466

2.       “The Coins of the British Commonwealth of Nations Part 2 – Asian Territory” by Major Fred Pridmore (Spink & Son Ltd, London)