EIC Sumatra 1 Keping - 1786

October 2024

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Sumatra, English United East India Company; 1 Keping, 1786. OB: VEIC balemark and date; Rx: Jawi legend. KM does not do a very good job of attributing these historic pieces, particularly in the proper documentation of the varieties you may encounter. This example has the oblique milled edge and a traditional rosette separating the obverse date. See my other example, and the gilt piece, that uses a different rosette on 1787 versions. KM does not show a 1786 strike and I can say, from anecdotal evidence, the 1786 issues are much harder to obtain than the 1787's.
This coin is representative of the very first copper issues of the famous coiner Matthew Boulton. This is a business strike as opposed to the proof issues often stuck again later as examples of his companys' work.
Famous for his 18th Centry Conder token products for various [copper mining] concerns and later, the Royal Mint, M. Boulton began his career as a minter with this issue for East India Company at Bencoolen on the island of Sumatra. A degree of industrialization was used to manufacture these pieces. Mr. Boulton operated a water-powered rolling mill and blanking machine at Soho [Birmingham] England. While his technique was pre-industrial it did add to the technology then in practice. Boulton was innovative in coin edge technology with this coin offering a security edge in an oblique milled edge pattern that prevented undetected clipping and filing. Seaby sale Apr. 1972. Rosette type between 1786. I have not seen enough of these to know if all 1786 issues featured the rosette while all 1787's may show the elongated medallion (see my example). Any information on this would be welcome!