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1 Mas - Alauddin
| Issuer | Gowa, Sultanate of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1593-1639 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Mas |
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| 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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| Obverse description | Two-line Arabic legend occupying the entire field of this small hammered gold coin, reading 'Al-Sultan Ala' al-Din' (The Sultan Alauddin). The inscription is rendered in a bold, somewhat rustic Naskh script typical of Southeast Asian Islamic coinage of the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The irregular flan produces uneven borders, with portions of the legend occasionally running to the very edge of the planchet. Several pellets are visible in the field between and around the letter strokes, a characteristic ornamental feature of Gowa coinage. No additional decorative devices or mint marks are present. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Sultanate of Gowa, centered on what is now Makassar in South Sulawesi, adopted Islam officially in 1605, and the mas coinage followed closely as a marker of that transition — small gold fractions used in the spice trade networks that ran through the Strait of Makassar. Alauddin was the first Muslim ruler of Gowa, reigning until 1639, and his coinage circulated alongside Dutch VOC trade goods as the Company was simultaneously pressuring Makassar to close its ports to rival European merchants.
The "var" designation against HCM#279 suggests a die variant not fully catalogued — not uncommon for this series, where hand-struck production at small regional mints produced considerable inconsistency across individual pieces.