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Sumatra Samudera Pasai Sultanate
Sultan Ahmad I
Gold Coin
Item number: A144
Year: AD 1270-1295
Material: Gold
Size: 9.0 x 9.0 mm / thick: 0.3~1.0 mm
Weight: 0.59 g
Provenance: Spink 2023
This object is a gold coin minted and issued during the reign of Sultan Ahmad I, the first Sultan of the Samudera Pasai Sultanate in Sumatra, Indonesia, from AD 1270 to AD 1295
The obverse side of the coin bears two lines of Arabic inscription reading “احمد ملك الظاهر ,” which translates to “Ahmad Malik the pious,” The periphery of the coin is adorned with decorative beads. Similarly, the reverse side of the coin features two lines of Arabic inscription reading “السلطان العادل,” meaning “the just Sultan,” with the outer rim embellished with small beads.
Ahmad I was regarded as the founder and first Sultan of the Sultanate of Samudera Pasai, and concurrently, the elder brother of Malik Malikus Saleh, who was documented as the founder of the Sultanate of Samudera Pasai in historical records (Malay Chronicle). Scholars asserted that Ahmad I held the highest esteem and wielded the greatest authority among his siblings. Malik departed, unable to contend with his brother, and subsequently established his own influence elsewhere. Following the demise of Ahmad I, Malik assumed control and ruled over the Sultanate of Samudera Pasai.
Although Malik Malikus Saleh was depicted as the founder in the Malay chronicle “Hikayat Raja-raja Pasai” (Chronicle of the Kings of Pasai), contemporary research suggests that the contents of the chronicle underwent mythologization and embellishment. In reality, Ahmad I was considered the substantive founder of the Sultanate of Samudera Pasai and the first Sultan to wield actual power during the period from AD 1270 to AD 1295.
During the reign of Ahmad I, the coins issued bore a distinctive feature: an additional dot on the letter “ظ”. This characteristic sets apart the coins minted under Ahmad I from those issued by other sultans bearing the same name, facilitating their differentiation.
The Sultanate of Samudera Pasai existed from the 13th to the 16th centuries and was an Islamic sultanate located on the northern coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. As one of the Sultanates situated at river mouths, the Sultanate of Samudera Pasai emerged as a crucial nexus for trade between the East and the West, facilitating trade networks with Arabia, India, and China.
The state actively issued gold coins for trade, with pepper serving as the primary commodity, thereby stimulating the overall economic prosperity of the nation. This flourishing trade activity attracted merchants from both within and outside the archipelago.
In the mid-14th century, the Sultanate of Samudera Pasai faced invasion and plunder by the Majapahit Empire. However, it managed to recover and maintain its dominant position in regional trade. Notably, in the mid-15th century, the renowned Chinese explorer Zheng He visited this country.
However, by the year AD 1524, the Sultanate of Samudera Pasai was brought to an end by the expansionist rule of the Sultanate of Aceh. Nevertheless, despite its brief history, the Sultanate of Samudera Pasai left a profound impact on the region.
