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1 Kupang Java
| Issuer | Java (Indonesian States) |
|---|---|
| Year | 800-1300 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 0.68 g |
| 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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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | Three horizontal bars arranged in parallel occupy the central field, representing a heavily degraded derivative of the original 'vase of plenty' (purnakalasha) motif. Early specimens of this series retain a more recognizable vase form, while the great majority show only the simplified triple-bar device resulting from progressive stylistic debasement over successive generations of production. The design is flat and unadorned, with no surrounding legend or additional decorative elements. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
These small gold pieces, known as kupang or masa subdivisions, circulated across the Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms of Java during a period spanning the Sailendra dynasty through the early Majapahit predecessors. They functioned as genuine trade currency in a monetized economy that surprised early European observers — Java had developed sophisticated market exchange centuries before colonial contact. The specific attribution to individual issuing kingdoms remains difficult; most survive without clear dynastic context, and Wicks's classification system groups them by morphological type rather than political origin.