Item number: A514

Year: AD 1810

Material: Bronze

Size: 27.9 x 27.9 x 1.6 mm

Weight: 9.2 g

Manufactured by: Soho Mint

Provenance: Noonans 2022

This is a trade token with a denomination of 1 cent, issued in AD 1810 by the British East India Company at their “Penang” base on the Malay Peninsula.

The coin’s obverse features a beaded circle surrounding the coat of arms of the British East India Company. The coat of arms is supported by two lions, and the second quadrant of the shield bears the Royal Arms of England. At the top of the shield is a decorated lion, and on either side, the lions hold the Cross of St. George, symbolising England. The scroll beneath the lion’s feet bears the Latin inscription “AUSPICIO REGIS ET SENATUS ANGLIÆ,” which translates to “By command of the King and Parliament of England,” the motto of the company. The year of minting, “1810,” is inscribed at the bottom of the coin. Unfortunately, due to its age, many details of the company’s coat of arms have been worn away and are no longer discernible.

The reverse side of the coin also features a beaded border, with an additional decorative lily wreath. At the centre, it is adorned with Jawi script “ڤولوڤينڠ,” commonly used in the Malay Peninsula, which translates to “Penang Island.”

In AD 1786, as a gesture of gratitude for assisting the Sultan of Kedah against the threat from Siam (Thailand), the British East India Company obtained the lease of Penang Island. Also known as Prince of Wales Island by the British. In AD 1836, Penang Island was merged with Singapore to form the Straits Settlements, which were jointly administered as a British crown colony. During British rule, Penang actively recruited labourers from China, resulting in a predominantly ethnic Chinese population that continues to this day.

物件編號: A514

年代: 公元 1810 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 27.9 x 27.9 x 1.6 mm

重量: 9.2 g

製造地: 蘇荷鑄幣廠

來源: 諾南斯 2022

這是一枚公元1810年，英國東印度公司在馬來半島的「檳榔嶼」據點，所發行的面額1分貿易代幣。

錢幣正面的周圍有一道珠圈，中間是英國東印度公司的紋章，一個兩側由雄獅攙扶的聖喬治盾牌，盾牌的第二象限上有英國王室家徽。盾牌頂部有一隻雄獅裝飾，兩側的雄獅手持象徵英格蘭的聖喬治旌旗。雄獅腳踏的卷軸以拉丁文鐫刻「AUSPICIO REGIS ET SENATUS ANGLIÆ」，即公司的座右銘「奉英格蘭國王和議會命令」。錢幣下緣鐫刻鑄造年份「1810」。惜因年代久遠，公司紋章的諸多細節已遭到磨平，不可辨識。

錢幣背面亦有一道珠圈，還有一道百合花環作為裝飾，中央是以馬來半島通用的爪夷文拼寫「ڤولو ڤينڠ」，即為地名「檳榔嶼」。

公元1786年，作為協助吉打蘇丹免於暹羅(泰國)威脅的回禮，英國東印度公司從蘇丹手上獲得檳榔嶼的租借權。檳榔嶼又稱作檳城，英國人則稱其為「威爾斯親王島」。公元1836年，檳榔嶼和新加坡合併為「海峽殖民地」共同管理。檳城在英國人統治期間，大舉從中國招募勞工前來定居，迄今居民以華裔占為多數。