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1 billon coin 'Jambi Lion'
| Issuer | Melayu Kingdom (Indonesian States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1000-1350 |
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| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | Zeno cat# 345121 |
| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | The reverse features a schematically rendered human bust occupying the central field, depicted in a frontal or near-frontal orientation with stylized facial features characteristic of the medieval Melayu coinage tradition. The face is rendered in bold, deeply struck relief, with simplified yet expressive delineation of the eyes, nose, and mouth. Surrounding decorative or symbolic motifs fill the field in a manner consistent with other known specimens of this series. The flan is irregular in form, as is typical of hammered issues of this period and region, with no formal legend or border present. |
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| Mintage | ND (1000-1350) - Lion left, bust left - ND (1000-1350) - Lion left, bust right - ND (1000-1350) - Lion right, bust left - ND (1000-1350) - Lion right, bust right - |
| Additional information |
The Melayu Kingdom, centered on the Batang Hari river basin in what is now Jambi province, controlled a stretch of Sumatra's interior trade networks that connected pepper and gold-producing highlands to coastal entrepôts feeding the broader Indian Ocean exchange. Billon coinage of this type reflects a monetary pragmatism common to Sumatran polities of the period — silver diluted with copper to extend supply without abandoning metallic currency altogether.
The "Jambi Lion" designation is a modern cataloging convenience. Attribution to Melayu rather than neighboring Srivijayan or Malay successor states remains debated among specialists, and the three-and-a-half century date range assigned to this type signals exactly how unresolved the chronology is.