Early Money in the Country

In the early days, people exchanged goods by ‘bartering’ for what they needed. Under this arrangement, goods were exchanged for goods. But this is not always convenient. The carpenter must look for a person who can provide him with the right mix of foodstuffs in exchange for the table, which he will make for him. The indivisibility of large items posed a real problem. So did the selection of the right person to barter with. With time, it soon became apparent that a form of medium of exchange would solve the problems. A unit of measure based on something that was valuable, durable, easy to store, homogeneous and portable was required for this purpose. Gold and silver fitted the bill. Thus the use of primitive money in the form of metallic (usually gold or silver) tokens or coins was introduced.

Through the ages, money has become not only a medium of exchange and a unit and store of value, but also a historical document on the culture, religion and traditions of the society. Coins have been used to record historical events, such as the reign of kings, or the art and design motifs of the time when the coins were issued. The inscriptions, the designs and motifs used on coins reflected the important events, traditions and social and political changes of nations. With time, money in the form of paper currency or notes were introduced, as these were convenient to issue, use and store, as the economic life of society became more complex.

Early Money in Borneo

Through the ages, money has become not only as medium of exchange, a unit of account, a standard of value and a store of wealth but also as a historical document on the culture, religion and the tradition of a society. Beads made of glass, cornelian and onyx were regarded as a status symbol and were believed to have special powers. Records indicate that when Chinese traders established trade with Sarawak soon after 10^th century AD, beads were among their goods exchanged for local products like birds’ nests, turtle eggs, hornbill casque, bezoar stone and ant eater scales.

Jars, ceramic plates, bowls and brass items were used as a medium of exchange in the hinterland of Sarawak. The big brass cannons, including the miniature ones, were also very popular as barter trade currency in Sarawak, and were used until the beginning of the 20^th century. The foreign silver coins, which were regarded as barter or pawn items were made into belt worn by ladies and sometimes by men of certain indigenous groups of Sarawak during the celebration of auspicious occasions at their longhouses.

Among the old stratified societies of Borneo, rank was expressed in a unit of weight, the picul. This is based on the amount of brideswealth due to the bride paid in brass cannon, sometimes substituted with weapons and brassware in the form of brass sireh boxes and brass trays. Brideswealth of 9 piculs was the highest while 7 and 5 were moderate but still of high rank.

Early Money in Malay States 

During the Han Dynasty (206 BC-221AD), the merchants of China and India discovered that the best alternative to the overland caravan trade route between East and West Asia was by way of the Isthmus of Kra, the narrow neck of land that separates the South China Sea from the Indian Ocean. The Chinese traders would land their goods in the region of Patani on the east Coast of the Isthmus of Kra, while the Indian merchants and later, the Arab from the Middle East, established their trading centres in the region of present day Kedah in the West Coast.

During this period, the local people used cowrie shells imported from the Maldive Islands or Borneo as currency for minor market purchases. For a long time, these shells were valued as amulets to ensure safe childbirth and as fertility charms. They could be strung together to facilitate easy transportation, or to form higher denominations when necessary.

From the eighth century onwards, merchants from China introduced copper cash in bulk into the Malay States and there formed the chief, and at times the sole, currency of the majority of the States of the Eastern Archipelago.

The first native coinage of the Malay States developed from this copper cash. Owing to the monsoons and the shortage of ships to carry out trading, the shortage of the copper cash led local chiefs and merchants to cast imitations of the cash for their own needs. In the east coast states, this copper cash in due course developed into a truly native coinage.

hi ,

Quite a log time i never write here , Busy right now , so , i want to share to all my friends here that my item (ingot) was sold again !! Again!! . Thanks to mr ***** that bought from me . Even i not selling much item on ebay , but it still progress on my selling.

Another ingot money was sold like a ingot last time but it little bit deference . The buyer is a collector from outside malaysia . I’m very happy on my selling . Not much , i sold around 180 usd . It shown at photo here or u can go to this link

I think for those who want to making money like ebay , should have unique item or demand item , so u can selling more on ebay. Maybe in future i will selling more like this ingot money.

That all for now .. hope u can make money online more than me now . Any idea what kind of best item selling on ebay ? someone ? ..