Palembang Pitis ("Pirate Money") Lot #4

This lot is being offered at a discount, as all of these coins have cosmetic or structural imperfections that prevent us from selling them on our normal listings. Coins will not include display cases and will come in a small velvet pouch.

The regular listing for these coins can be found here: www.historyhoard.com/products/pirate-money-palembang-pitis-1700s

Item Info:

These tin pitis coins were struck in Palembang, a major port in 18th century Indonesia that was controlled by the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Besides being a hub for the spice trade, the region was also notorious for something else—pirates.

The Strait of Malacca has always had a strong association with piracy, a legacy that continues to this day. The area was an incredibly important shipping route, but pirates also had plenty of places to hide within its many coves and inlets.

Palembang was located along the east end of the strait, and was a standard stopping point for merchant ships. But during the Golden Age of Piracy, these ships would be routinely seized for their cargo of rare spices and money—namely Spanish reales, VOC duiten, and these Palembang pitis coins.

These one-sided coins are made from cast tin, and most bear the Malay inscription "the sultan of Palembang year [date]." They are holed because they were meant to be strung together, drawing inspiration from Chinese cash coins.

A signed Certificate of Authenticity will accompany your purchase. You will receive the exact item shown in the photos above.