Ugi — now rendered as Wajo — was one of the most powerful Bugis kingdoms in southern Sulawesi, and its tin and copper kepings circulated alongside Dutch colonial coinage without ever being formally sanctioned by Batavia. This 1835 issue belongs to a loose family of Bugis trade tokens whose authorization came entirely from local rulers resisting Dutch monetary encroachment rather than accommodating it. The Singh and Pridmore references disagree on die classification for this type, suggesting multiple working dies were in use simultaneously — not unusual for a decentralized mint producing on demand.
Ugi — now rendered as Wajo — was one of the most powerful Bugis kingdoms in southern Sulawesi, and its tin and copper kepings circulated alongside Dutch colonial coinage without ever being formally sanctioned by Batavia. This 1835 issue belongs to a loose family of Bugis trade tokens whose authorization came entirely from local rulers resisting Dutch monetary encroachment rather than accommodating it. The Singh and Pridmore references disagree on die classification for this type, suggesting multiple working dies were in use simultaneously — not unusual for a decentralized mint producing on demand.