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BRUNEI: brass cannon money (417g), ca. mid-19th century, F-VF

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / World Coins - Asia & Middle-East Start Price:55.00 USD Estimated At:75.00 - 100.00 USD
BRUNEI: brass cannon money (417g), ca. mid-19th century, F-VF
SOLD
475.00USD+ buyer's premium (95.00)
This item SOLD at 2026 Jan 25 @ 17:22UTC-08:00 : PST/AKDT
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BUYER'S PREMIUM - The Buyer's Premium is $20 per lot or 20% of the hammer price, whichever amount is greater.
BRUNEI: brass cannon money (417g), ca. mid-19th century, SS-60, Opitz p.100, known as meriam kecil in Malay, comprising a 194mm-long barrel with a 18mm caliber, used as currency in Brunei, Sabah, Sarawak and other parts of maritime Southeast Asia, some surface corrosion, F-VF. These miniature cannons were made of various metals including bronze, brass, copper, and iron, and were actually fired on important occasions such as weddings and the birth of children. Valued by weight at $25-30 a picul, they were used extensively for a multitude of purposes, such as the barter of goods, bride price, payment of fines and the purchase of slaves (a slave being valued in piculs of brass guns). With the introduction of coins, these cannons gradually fell out of use. Many were also melted down during World War II, which accounts for their rarity today.