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1 Cash - Dongkai zihao
| Issuer | Dongkai Company (Bangka Island) |
|---|---|
| Year | |
| Type | Emergency coin |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Technique | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Irregular round tin flan with a central square perforation, following the traditional Chinese cash coin format. Four Chinese seal-script characters (東開字號) are arranged in the four quadrants surrounding the square hole, reading top-bottom-right-left in the conventional manner. The characters are rendered in low relief within a raised inner square border, with a further raised outer rim encircling the field. The casting is somewhat rough, consistent with emergency mercantile issue production, and the surface displays characteristic tin oxidation patina. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Bangka Island's tin trade was so dominated by private Chinese mining kongsis in the nineteenth century that several issued their own token coinage when official supply failed to meet local exchange needs. The Dongkai Company was among these concerns, operating tin mines under contract arrangements with Dutch colonial authorities. Tin was the obvious striking material — it was the island's primary export and in abundant local supply.
KM#Tn1 is the sole listed issue for this issuer, suggesting either a short operational window or a single minting event tied to a specific labor payment cycle.