Piloncito

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Reverse description	Reverse displays a single prominent central pellet or dome-like boss raised in high relief, surrounded by a rough, granular surface typical of hammered gold proto-coinage. The raised central knob is the result of the anvil punch used during striking, a hallmark of pre-Hispanic Philippine piloncito manufacture. The field is otherwise plain and undecorated, with an irregular, lumpy texture across the entire surface.
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Edge	Plain
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Additional information	Among the earliest indigenous coinage of Southeast Asia, piloncitos predate Spanish colonization by several centuries and were already established trade currency when the first Chinese merchants documented them in contact accounts. The name itself is a Spanish colonial-era term imposed retroactively — the original Tagalog or Visayan designation, if one existed, was never recorded. Most examples were recovered from burial sites or river dredging, which accounts for the survival of pieces in unexpectedly fine condition alongside others with heavy surface corrosion from prolonged soil contact.